- The soldiers were seen as a symbol of British oppression. After the Boston Massacre in 1770, in which British soldiers killed five colonists, the soldiers became a symbol of the British government's willingness to use force against the colonists. This anger was compounded by the fact that the soldiers were often stationed in Boston without the consent of the colonists, and they were not subject to the same laws as the colonists.
- The soldiers were often rude and disrespectful to the colonists. The British soldiers were often seen as arrogant and condescending towards the colonists, and they often made fun of the colonists' religion and customs. This further increased the colonists' resentment towards the soldiers.
- The soldiers were a drain on the colonial economy. The British soldiers were paid for by the British government, and this money was not spent in the colonies. This meant that the colonists were losing money by having the soldiers in Boston.
- The soldiers were a threat to the colonists' freedom. The colonists feared that the British soldiers were there to suppress dissent and to prevent them from exercising their rights as British citizens. This fear was based on the fact that the British soldiers had been used to put down rebellions in other parts of the British Empire.