The Boston Massacre: You Be the Judge!

The Boston Massacre: March 5, 1770

Historical Background

In the early 1760s tension began to rise between the colonists and those remaining loyal to the British. This occurred as a result of several actions by the British. The Proclamation of 1763 that restricted movement of the colonists was resented. The colonists also did not like the fact that the British were controlling the colonial legislatures and that they did not have representation in Parliament. They also resented the power of colonial governors and the taxes that were levied on them to offset the cost of the French and Indian War. The British sent soldiers to the colonies to keep order, especially to Massachusetts where there had been a lot of unrest. The soldiers were sent to help with the enforcement of the Townshend Acts of 1767. In 1768, there were 4,000 British troops in Boston when the population of Boston was only 20,000 at that time.
One night, on March 5, 1770 this tension ended up in an incident now called “The Boston Massacre”. There are numerous accounts of what happened that night. As a result of the incident, five civilians died. Three died that night and two others died later. The people who died were: Crispus Attucks, an African American, Samuel Gray, James Caldwell, Samuel Maverick, and Patrick Carr. Some say the incident was a British response to a mob rioting while others contend the soldiers attacked the colonists who were just minding their own business. The event was popularized after Paul Revere made an engraving entitled “The Bloody Massacre in King Street”. He used it as propaganda to capitalize on colonial resentment of the British. Other historical accounts and the trial itself portray a different depiction of the events. Of the nine British regulars charged during the two Boston Massacre trials, two were found guilty and Preston and six other were acquitted.
Task 1: Compare/Contrast *Boston Massacre: March 5, 1770- Differing Perspectives
A. With a partner, examine both images below. (Paul Revere's Engraving, 1770 and Alonzo Chappel's painting, 1868)  You may click beneath each image for a closer look! (High Resolution)
B.  Complete a Venn Diagram identifying the similarities and differences between both images.


Task 2: Boston Massacre: Multiple Perspective - British and American point of view:

A.  Working independently, complete the Image Comparison Assessment handout.  Using the information you learned analyzing Revere's and Chappel's representations of "The Boston Massacre" on March 5, 1770 and other information given about that fateful day in Boston.

B.  Answer the following question:
What image do you feel more accurately portrays the events of the Boston Massacre?
*Make sure to use specific examples to support your answer.

Exit Ticket: The Boston Massacre: You be the judge!

*Write a one-page paper deciding whose side you are on.  Include information from the sources given in this lesson and from what was discussed in class.  

What do you think really happened in Boston on march 5, 1770? Explain!















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