Who was the Revolutionary War ’s first compound casualty ? A black tar with aboriginal American roots .
Crispus Attucks ’ dramatic demise made him a polarizing figure in 1770 . On March 5th of that yr , the ill-famed Boston Massacre claimed his living and give a bequest over which the issue nation would soon struggle .
Attucks ’ early days are largely mist in mystery . It come out that his father , Prince Yonger , was an abducted West African while his mother likely hailed from New England ’s nativeWampanoag people(in whose languageAttucksmeans“small male deer ” ) . Crispus himself was born in Framingham , Massachusetts sometime around 1723 . Though historiansaren’t quite sureif he was birthed into slavery , there ’s no incertitude that young Attucks was cursorily arrogate by this “ rummy creation ” or a similar form of dehumanise servitude .
Ultimately , Attucks duck re - capture and is believed to have work as a Boston - based sailor and roofy - maker . As such , he would have had plenty of reason to harbor anti - British grievances . To begin with , the Royal Navy had acquired a smutty habit of forcing Yankeesea - farersinto its ranks . what is more , when they were n’t patrolling the coastline , maritime Brits often realise additional immediate payment by competing with New England market keeper for a sort of jobs .
This tense situation worsened by the day , and , before long , it exploded . When Boston ’s Massacre give out , Attucks — who stood near the front lines — became its first victim , though how he came to be there stay on uncertain . Some attestant claimed that , wielding a wooden faculty , Attucks played ringleader and rallied this Massachusetts rabble . Others trust he was merely standing in the amiss place at the haywire time , a error for which he get two bullets to the chest .
Lawyer and future President John Adams stood securely in the former camp . While debate on behalf of the redcoat who fired the shots , AdamsdenouncedAttucks as one who “ in all chance [ cause ] the dire behavior of that Nox . " His “ very spirit , ” Adams imagine , were “ enough to terrify any person . ”
However , in break , Attucks also earned his fair share of admirers . Local revolutionary not only hailed him as a martyr , but , in rebelliousness of the law at the time , swallow up him alongside the affray ’s snowy victims within acommon grave . The Crispus Attucks Monument ( an flowery , statue - laden column ) waserectedin the Boston Commons 118 years by and by .
