The Boston Massacre: Provoked Self-Defense or Justified Riot Met with Bloodshed
On March 5, 1770, a violent event occurred between British soldiers and angry patriots in
Boston, Massachusetts. Since the British military occupied Boston, tension had been rising among the people. Constant fights were reported between British soldiers and the people. The people of Boston were getting more violent. One day a mob of furious patriots, about 50, surrounded and attacked a British sentinel, hurling various objects such as snowballs, sticks, and clubs at the soldiers. Captain Preston, who wrote a personal account of the event, tried to diffuse the situation best by calling in more troops and reasoning with the mob. Nevertheless, the mob
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Two named Samuel Maverick and Patrick Carr, died later. After the violent event, Captain Preston and his men were taken to court, defended by John Adams and
Josiah Quincy II, and two soldiers were found guilty of murder. This insane event led to the evacuation of the British army from Boston. Also, this event played a crucial role in initiating the
American Revolution.
I have never deeply studied the Boston Massacre, so I found the articles I read about the event extremely interesting. I did not know that the British sent their military into Boston. It now
Sorcinelli 2 makes sense to me why the people of Boston were so aggressive and agitated. The colonies were used to being self-governed during the 7 Years' War, and now they were suddenly being pushed around and ruled by the British. Reading the personal accounts was eye-opening, and interesting to hear exactly how it played out. It makes me very sad that the massacre led to the deaths of people, but I am overall grateful that it led to the American Revolution. I am learning how much death and sacrifice went into my freedom. Since reading the personal account of Captain
Edward Buckley here reporting live from Boston where a massacre has just outbroke. British troops were sent in to maintain order of the colonist. The colonist didn't seem to be too happy about that. Large groups of angry colonist came together and began taunting the British soldiers. Along with the taunting, the colonist began throwing snowballs and showing hostile actions towards the British soldiers.
This is important because Boston Massacre is a significant event that leads to the American Revolutionary War. It’s considered as a turning point of American’s quest to be independent. It helps galvanize the colonists to
In the early 1760’s, the tension between the people in Boston and the British soldiers started to grow until in early 1770, when the two groups reached their breaking point. On March 5, 1770, a group of men started intimidating a British soldier; he soon called for assistance but eventually the crowd had grown to practically one hundred people. Captain Thomas Preston and seven other soldiers arrived, trying to calm the situation down, but to no avail. A soldier fired into the crowd followed by the other soldiers firing soon after, resulting in five people being killed. Captain Thomas Preston happened to be arrested and charged with murder.
Throughout our lives, we drive tough times and empower the goods. We learn and examine events of history that we never picture could happen in our life. These Historical events teach us lessons that stick with us until the very last day. The Boston Massacre left many casualties and people wounded.
Mia Bassett 9/24/17 Period 3 Boston Massacre Notes since 1767 people had been rioting against British taxation Sugar Act (1764) Stamp Act (1765) Townshend Act (1767) People thought Britain shouldn’t tax the colonies because they could not elect representatives for parliament. people thought only Massachusetts Assembly could tax people (representatives were elected every year) riots and attacks against tax officials were common in 1768 troops were sent to Boston to protect government officials against mob attacks Quartering Act of 1765 required the colonies to house british soldiers in barracks provided by the colonies people felt imposed on people boycotted products affected by the townshend act a group of people gathered to demonstrate in
A riot has just broke out in downtown Boston! It all started when a local barbershop owner, who’s name is Mr. Qwerty, made fun of a British official. That was when all of the other colonists went on a even bigger riot and started pushing and shoving the British soldiers. One of the soldiers got pushed over; and when he fell, his brand new, never before used musket fired killing someone. During that riot, five people were killed including a man who led the riot who goes by the name of Crispus Attucks who was an African American dockworker.
This statement disproves the definition of massacre because it was not an indiscriminate slaughter of people. If the soldiers were begin attacked it was merely self defense. Mr. Woodall was not the only account that stated the soldiers were being attacked by the townspeople before any firing took place, Jane Whitehouse said that same. She said that one man threw wood at one of the soldiers. Further more looking at the Revere painting, Preston’s deposition and also testimonies from people that gave their account of the story we can conclude that calling it the “Boston Massacre” would be stretching the truth of an event that has been warped for years.
On the night of March 5, 1770, the streets of Boston became a battleground, forever marking an important event in American history, the Boston Massacre. Bloodshed and turmoil ensued, leaving behind a legacy that would be examined and reinterpreted for decades, revealing the deep levels of historical significance and societal viewpoint. This research paper explores the intricate dynamics of how initial responses, shifting perspectives, and media depictions have shaped the understanding of this pivotal event. By examining the varied narratives and perspectives from the colonial era to the present, as well as the impact of media representations, we can gain deeper insights into the complexities and historical significance of the Boston Massacre.
Townspeople are calling it a battle for liberty (The Boston Massacre). The etching posted in town square seems farfetched. Why would the soldiers purposely fire into a crowd without good reason? Pastor Weston was in Boston during the massacre. He said that Patriots were in a drunken stupor protesting near the Customs House about the resent increase of soldiers and the newly implemented Townshend acts in Boston.
RWDV says, “The jury acquitted Captain Preston on the basis of ‘reasonable doubt’ and acquitted six of the eight soldiers. Two soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter and thus escaped the death penalty.” Although there were some drawbacks, Adams was right to take the case and defend the Captain and his men. He demonstrated his dedication to the principles of justice and the due process of law, and he helped improve the image of the colonies. The Boston Massacre and its aftermath continue to serve as a reminder of the importance of upholding principles in the face of adversity and a testament to the power of justice and fairness in shaping
Another example how the boston massacre had an impact was, on the way people had viewed british soldiers. For instance, “…by etching a now-famous engraving depicting British soldiers callously murdering American colonists. It showed the British as the instigators though the colonists had started the fight. It also portrayed the soldiers as vicious men and the colonists as gentlemen”(“Boston Massacre”). This illustrates how many were angry with the British and viewed them as evil and vicious.
Sara Delurski Mrs. Norris, period 1 Boston Massacre Argumentative Essay January 6th, 2023 On March 5th, 1770, British soldiers protecting British officials on King Street in Boston fired into a mob of colonists, killing five civilians and wounding six others. This altercation, dubbed the Boston Massacre, was vital for the lead-up to the fight for American independence. The argument on who was at fault for the incident is still in question today. British soldiers claim that they had heard somebody say the word ‘fire’ while the protestors were assaulting the guards, giving them a reason to fire. Colonists claim they fired on their own accord and that the British merely wanted to kill civilians who posed no threat to Britain.
If the following events didn’t take place we wouldn’t have America. In my opinion the Boston Massacre was one of the very main causes to why the Road to Revolution took place. The reason I believe this was an important cause because it was, “ the first episode which resulted in the loss of life.” It is stated that, “Four Bostonians were killed when Redcoats fired into an angry mob.”
The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occurred on March 5, 1770, between a “patriot”. They were throwing sticks, snowballs, and trash at a group of British troops. The loyalists got very annoyed with the patriots so they shot into the mob killing five. The riot began when around 50 colonists attacked a British sentinel. A British officer called in for additional troops
The Boston Massacre is an event most Americans and British students learn about over the course of their education. In America, we learn that British soldiers fired upon innocent civilians, although this may not have been the case. British historians have referred to the Boston Massacre as the "Incident on King Street". After looking over the "Captain Thomas Preston 's Account of the Boston Massacre", as well as "Boston Massacre Trial Depositions" I believe that American historians should refer to the "Boston Massacre" as the "Incident on King Street". The definition of a massacre refers to an unnecessary and random killing of a large number of individuals.