The Boston Massacre was not a premeditated event, and there was no clear purpose behind it. It was a result of tensions that had been building between British soldiers and Boston civilians for several months. The soldiers were stationed in Boston to enforce the Townshend Acts, a series of taxes that were unpopular with the colonists. The colonists resented the presence of the soldiers and often harassed them. On March 5, 1770, a group of colonists began throwing snowballs and other objects at a group of British soldiers. The soldiers eventually fired their guns, killing five colonists. The Boston Massacre was a turning point in the relationship between the British government and the American colonies. It increased tensions between the two sides and helped to radicalize many colonists, who began to demand independence from Britain.