Question

the horrid massacre in boston, perpetrated in the evening of the fifth day of march, 1770, by soldiers of the twenty - ninth regiment... in passing to this station the british soldiers pushed several persons with their bayonets, driving through the people in so rough a manner that it appeared they intended to create a disturbance. this occasioned some snowballs to be thrown at them which seems to have been the only provocation that was given.... captain preston is said to have ordered them to fire, and to have repeated that order. one gun was fired first; then others in succession and with deliberation, till ten or a dozen guns were fired; or till that number of discharges were made from the guns that were fired. by which means eleven persons were killed and wounded. -- anonymous, 1770 each of these statements is supported by this anonymous account of the boston massacre except the colonists fired on the british in self - defense. the british soldiers charged at the colonists with bayonets. the only action the colonists took against the soldiers was to throw some snowballs. captain preston repeatedly ordered his soldiers to fire. clear my selection

Explanation:

The account only mentions British soldiers firing after being provoked by snowballs and no mention of colonists firing on British in self - defense. It states British soldiers pushed with bayonets, colonists threw snowballs, and Captain Preston ordered soldiers to fire.

Answer:

A. the colonists fired on the British in self - defense.