Premium Essay

The Boston Massacre In American History

Submitted By
Words 242
Pages 1
The Boston Massacre Trials are big in American History. People plead and testify to prove what was right and what was wrong. Films and stories were told about this event during 1770. Our Honors History class had recently watched an episode of “John Adams” and we were to read an article about the trials. There were major similarities and differences between the 2 versions of the same story. One thing that I had noticed was that in the article, it was said that Captain Preston did not testify but in the movie he testify saying where he was standing and that he did not order to fire. Both trial said it was an act of self-defense but both had different things they were defending themselves against. For instance, movie said clubs were thrown but

Similar Documents

Free Essay

The Effects of Boston Masacre

...“What was the Cause and effect of the Boston Massacre?” History IB HL Year 1 Internal Assessment Word Count: 1625 Table of Contents Cover sheet……………………………………………………………………………………………...Pg1 Table of contents……………………………………………………………………………………..Pg2 Plan of investigation………………………………………………………………………………..Pg3 Summary of Evidence.……………………………………………………………………………..Pg3-5 Evaluation of Sources……………………………………………………………………………...Pg5-6 Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………………..Pg6- 8 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………Pg8 Works Cited…………………………………………………………………………………………….Pg9 A. Plan of Investigation The purpose of this paper is to answer the question, “what was the cause and effect of the Boston Massacre?” The body of the summary of evidence will investigate the people of the Boston Massacre. The summary of evidence will also investigate some of the lead up to the massacre. Documents will be analyzed to find causes and the build up to the Boston Massacre. The looking at a primary source and secondary sources will be heavily used. This paper will include the effects of the Boston Massacre such as the propaganda used to over exaggerate the Boston Massacre. In the documents being scoped at in this paper there will be the effects of the Boston Massacre such as The Committee of Correspondence and the 1773 Tea Act. While focusing on these aspects we analyze them into further investigation. B. Summary of Evidence The colonists were angering King George III, so...

Words: 1873 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Boston Massacre Research Paper

...The Boston Massacre was a horrifying event that took place on March 5, 1770, killing 5 people 2 on accident, and 3 died on the spot. The causes of the Boston Massacre in 1770 were to enforce unpopular taxation measures passed by a British parliament that lacked American representation, an angry mob of American colonists gathering and taunting British soldiers, and the British reaction. The British weren’t welcomed at all that’s when the riot began. Fifty citizens attacked a British sentinel, objects were thrown and weapons were fired. Patriot mobs threw snowballs, stones, and sticks. Several colonists were injured or killed on the scene because of the British and this led to one of the biggest wars in American history. In this essay it will show why the colonist was horrified by the reaction of the British in the Boston massacre. Before the Boston massacre October 1768 the British had been billeted after repeated request from officials who had been harassed and imitated because their effort to enforce unpopular taxation or Townshend acts. The Townshend act caused problems because they were expected to impose duties and taxes on paper, lead, paints, and tea imported to colonies. The Boston massacre killed 5...

Words: 637 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Boston Massacre Research Paper

...1The Boston Massacre: Provoked Self Defense or Justified Riot Met with Bloodshed Trista Lee Rawlings School of Criminal Justice, Liberty University HIUS221-C03 – Survey of American History Professor Kevin Wolfe March 25, 2024 2 The Boston Massacre: Provoked Self Defense or Justified Riot Met with Bloodshed Introduction The details surrounding the Boston Massacre and what led to it, which occurred on March 5, 1770, seem to be a hotly debated topic in our American history. One thing is for sure, five colonists lost their lives that night, forever altering the lives of those that knew and loved them. During this time frame, according to Mr. Peter Brodkin, there was plenty of evidence to back up the notion that tension was growing in Boston due...

Words: 917 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Boston Essay

...By 1770 Boston was no longer Winthrop’s ‘city upon a hill’ whose citizenry had a covenant with God. Instead, Boston was the commercial and political epicentre of the Thirteen Colonies, and had been engulfed by a hot atmosphere of colonial discontent at the British, brought about by years of war, taxes and occupation. The discontent boiled over into riot on the evening of 5 March 1770, when Captain Thomas Preston and his seven guards arrived to relieve a Sentinel of his harassers amidst taunts of “you bloody backs, you lobster scoundrels, fire if you dare!” from an ever-swelling crowd of eighty. One of Preston’s men responded to being struck with a weapon by firing into the crowd. The ensuing chaos left five colonists dead, six more injured and the city inflamed. Whilst it is almost certain that Preston didn’t order his men to fire, he would have faded into the mists of history, had his innocence not been later challenged during the American Revolution. Patriots idolised and misconstrued the incident; John Adams claims it laid “the foundation of American independence” from their British tyrants. Their flawed imageries of the so-called ‘Boston Massacre’ reverberated across the Thirteen Colonies, and it’s the idealism they propagated more so than the incident itself which stirred colonists to revolting against the Crown. The odds had never in Preston’s favour that faithful night, indeed it was a mixture of the provocative taunts from the ever-swelling crowd and the darkness that...

Words: 1338 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Art Summary: The Boston Massacre

...This art piece is and was an important part in history. It is a pictured of the Boston Massacre, this was a huge part in history. The piece of art was engraved and printed by Paul Revere. It is very important to this time frame because some people say that it is the start of the American Revolutionary War. This is not something that was taken lightly in history it is a major event that shaped America how it is today. In summary, the Boston Massacre was an American protesters Vs British soldiers in Boston. The American protestors were taunting the British soldiers and did not want them there because, according to the American’s they were there for a bad reason. British soldiers were in America to enforce a taxation law that was passed by British...

Words: 297 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

To What Extent Did John Adams After The Boston Massacre

...What John Adams did after the Boston Massacre was very brave. The Boston Massacre was, “The most important trial in colonial history …, and John Adams agreed to defend the enemy”. By defending the British, John Adams, placed himself in a very difficult political position and placed his own family in danger. Adams was a known patriot in a time of high tension. A time he would later identify as,” the era of the true American Revolution”. Adams choice to defend the crown, pitted himself against his fellow patriots, and against his own American interest. Many colonists could not understand why Adams would defend the hated British. Several lashed out at John. Adams, “could not walk the streets without being spat on or having rocks thrown at him”. Prior to the massacre, John was known as a man of honor and integrity. After his choice to represent the enemy at trial, he would temporarily be hated by many townspeople. He had to defend the crown against his own countrymen with little support. He had only, “the support of his wife and equal partner Abigail and his own sense of righteousness kept him going.” John believed in his cause so much he, “remained steadfast in his convictions” in spite of, “daily threats against his life and property”. Ironically by defending the British, John...

Words: 449 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Boston Massacre Research Paper

...The Boston Massacre was an event of great significance in American history, as it marked a turning point in the mounting tensions between American Colonists and British soldiers that eventually led to the Revolutionary War. On the fateful night of March 5, 1770, a tragic clash between British soldiers and a group of American Colonists in Boston, Massachusetts resulted in the loss of five civilian lives. This event served as a catalyst that further escalated disputes and tension between the two groups. However, despite the tragedy, the aftermath of the Boston Massacre set legal processes in motion that led to a transformation of the justice system in colonial America, leaving a lasting legacy that still resonates today. Following the Boston Massacre, a series of high-profile legal cases...

Words: 1574 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Revolutionary War

... Revolutionary War, what really cause it? Many believe it was because americans didn't want to pay taxes to king George III, but they were many reasons on what really brought America to be independent. For example the Boston Massacre, The Boston port act, The Massachusetts government act, The administration of Justice Act and The quartering act. All this were few of the reasons that brought the revolutionary war into the 13 colonies. We American decided not to be bully by the British authority so we decided to take matters into our on hands. It was not easy for us do that Britain out number us x6, but we never quitted and decided to keep fighting. The Boston massacre, one of the most bloodiest event in US history. This was a event that shook America apart. In March 5, 1770 the presence of the British troops in Boston was very unwelcome. Citizens were feeling treating by the increase amount of troops. This all began when 50 citizens attacked a British sentinel. They were throwing snowballs, stones and sticks, they started firing in-defend, 5 citizens died that night. John Adams took this case defending the British soldiers, he won the case and they were release. The Boston Port act, many confuse this act with the Boston tea party, one event led to the other. The Boston port was close on June 1, 1774 due to the destruction of the tea for the Boston tea party. The ports were originally going to re-open till the city reimburses...

Words: 607 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Boston Massacre Research Paper

...On March 5, 1770, the infamous riot known as the Boston Massacre took place. The event took place during the snowy night where colonists gathered at the Customs House in Boston to taunt the British soldiers in front of the building. The mobs of people were protesting the occupation of British troops in the colonies. The article “Boston Massacre” written by History says “The British troops had been billeted in Boston in October 1768 after repeated requests from British customs officials, who had been harassed and intimidated because of their efforts to enforce the Townshend Acts.” The soldiers’ captain, Thomas Preston, order his men to aim their bayonets into the crowd. The colonists then reacted to this by throwing snowballs and any other...

Words: 467 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

What Are The Causes Of The American Revolution

...A commonly asked question when talking U.S. history and the American Revolution is what exactly caused it? There have been many events between the times that America was founded to the time of the actual revolution. Some of these included the Townshend Acts, the Boston Massacre, and the Intolerable Acts. In addition to these events, there were groups of people who helped drive the start the Revolution. Two of these groups included the Patriots and the Loyalists. All these pieces of the puzzle contributed in different ways and should all be touched upon when discussing the famous American Revolution. The Townshend Acts, occurring on Nov. 20 1767, put taxes on things such as glass, paper, and even tea. After these developed, the colonists became really angered. This increased activity to try and avoid the tax. Some citizens even took to tar-and-feathering tax collectors.(TimeToast) The Townshend Acts happened in 1767, which were a few years apart from other major events such as the Stamp Act Congress and the Boston Massacre....

Words: 675 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

The Boston Tea Party and George Robert Twelve Hewes

...George Hewes’ situation, that is the case. George R. T. Hewes, although a lowly Boston shoemaker, participated in many key events of the Revolutionary crisis. Growing up as a strong willed boy in a broken home, he seemed to have a lot of pent up anger that was released after witnessing the five deaths in 1770. After the Boston Massacre, he continued to get into altercations with Loyalists and British soldiers. However, he was all but forgotten by history until over half a century later when he described his experiences to Benjamin Bussey Thatcher and James Hawkes, who wrote detailed biographies on him. Hewes' life was no more extraordinary than anyone else’s at that time in history. His story is a common one of many lower class citizens at the time. Not until the writing of the biography “A Retrospect of the Boston Tea Party”, was there any spark in Hewes' popularity. Even then as he toured Boston like a celebrity, it was short lived. Hewes’ popularity wasn’t due to the fact that he had been involved in such a historic event, as much as it was due to the exclusiveness of him being one of the last known accomplices of the Tea Party. According to historian Alfred Young, the term "Boston Tea Party" did not officially appear in any sort of print until 1834. Up until 1834 the event was usually referred to as the ‘Destruction of the Tea in Boston’, which it was originally called by John Adams. Most American writers were scared to write in celebration about the destruction of property...

Words: 810 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Boston Massacre Research Paper

...As time progressed in colonial Boston, disputes between colonists and English sympathizers and soldiers began to become more and more common as more taxes were placed on those in the colonies. Some of these were rather violent. For example, in February of 1770, an angry crowd approached a British informer at his home and began to raid and destroy it. The incident resulted in the death of a young boy and a city drawn together in their distaste for the English. Not even a month later on March 5th, the conflict later known as the Boston Massacre took place. Like the death of the boy in February, this conflict became a rally for change in the eyes of the colonialists. But, there is conflict as to what happened that night due to accounts of what happened varying between colonists and British, and even between colonists themselves. What is known for sure is that on the evening of March 5th, a group of Bostonian boys began to throw snowballs at a sentry on duty. A small crowd began to support the boys and taunt the sentry, leading him to call for help. From there, the events drastically escalated to the point...

Words: 1163 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

The Boston Massacre: The Black Lives Matter Movement

...Throughout history many mistakes have occurred and the goal is to make sure we keep our mistakes in the past but it never works out that way. The Boston Massacre was one of the first events that sparked the American Revolution. It set the colonies into anarchy and forced them to rebel against The British. A man named George Zimmerman made a fatal mistake when he shot an unarmed 17-year-old African American named Trayvon Martin. Even though the situations are many years apart, they have the same outcomes and have more in common then you believe. On the night of March 5, 1770, a mob of colonists met at the Customs House in Boston and begins harassing the British soldiers that were guarding the building. The protesters called Patriots were...

Words: 841 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Crispus Attucks Research Paper

...during the Boston Massacre, as well as the first casualty of the American Revolution. After British control over the colonies tightened, tensions escalated and Crispus Attucks found himself to be one of the few to be directly affected by this worsening situation. Attucks was a rope maker and seaman along with many others and lived with the constant threat of being forced into the British navy. On March 2 in 1770 a fight erupted between three British soldiers and a group of rope makers, which set the stage for a future confrontation and sparked the result of the Boston Massacre. Three days later a fight broke out again when a British soldier entered a...

Words: 782 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Crispus Attucks: Hero Or Villain?

...Wheatley had on American history pertaining to the American Revolution. In 1770, Mr. Attucks may have been a slave or a freeman, but his infamy came from being the first casualty in the Boston Massacre and even credited as the first American casualty in the American Revolution. For over a century many people have debated whether he was a hero and an instigator or just a rambling villain. In the murder trial, James Madison, who was a lawyer serving for the crown, stated that Mr. Attucks reviled mad behavior and that his very looks was enough to terrify anyone. The description of Mr. Attucks was that of 6’2 statue and a mulatto skin color because his father was an African and his mother was a Native American. He was...

Words: 451 - Pages: 2