The significance of the Boston Massacre, which occurred in 1770, was pivotal in escalating tensions between British authorities and American colonists leading up to the American Revolution. The incident involved British soldiers opening fire on a crowd of colonists, resulting in the deaths of five men. It was used as a propaganda tool by colonial leaders like Paul Revere and Samuel Adams, depicting British troops as aggressors against innocent civilians. This event galvanized anti-British sentiment and unified colonists against perceived injustices, contributing to a collective identity and urgency for independence that would culminate in the Revolution.