Boston Massacre Research Paper

804 Words2 Pages

The Boston Massacre was one of the most important events that have ever taken place in Colonial America. It sparked the start of the Revolutionary War, which caused many of those loyal to Britain to rally with those who wanted freedom and it was considered a turning point for many colonists, to fight the British. Life back then was hard. The colonists had tried to rebel and as a result; the British Parliament passed many acts that negatively affected the colonist’s everyday lives. Some of these acts were the Townshend Acts. They were passed as a means of generating income for colonial administration. The Townshend acts placed taxes on paper, lead, paint, and tea imported into the colonies. A boycott engineered by the colonists angered the …show more content…

Citizens did everything they could to notify people and even rang church bells in an attempt to bring more people out. Many residents gathered around Private White to rally with young Garrick against his actions. The residents began throwing objects and challenging Private White to fire his weapon at them. The crowds protest alerted the nearby barracks and Captain Thomas Preston, the Officer in Charge. Captain Preston sent a non-commissioned officer and six privates of the 29th Regiment of Foot to help Private White. The soldiers brought their weapons and fixed bayonets. The soldiers Captain Preston sent were Corporal William Wemms, Hugh Montgomery, John Carroll, William McCauley, William Warren, and Matthew Kilroy and pushed their way through the crowd. Henry Knox, again trying to calm the rising tensions, warned Captain Preston to command his troops and told him that if the Soldiers fired their weapons, he would ultimately be held responsible. When the residents charged the Customs house stairs, the soldiers loaded their muskets and faced the very large crowd. Captain Preston ordered the crowd, of three or four hundred, to leave the area but the crowd did not disburse. The large crowd even threw snowballs and spat at them. He ordered his troops not to fire on the crowd but with all the commotion the soldiers misheard the Captain’s orders and the soldiers opened fire on the crowd. The shots killed three men and another two who would circum to their injuries later.(3,whole

Show More
Related

  • How Did The Townshend Act Contribute To American Revolution

    987 Words  | 2 Pages

    Passed in 1767, the Townshend Acts put taxes on several basic items that, to obtain them, needed to be imported. These items included glass, paper, lead, and tea. The British planned out the Townshend Acts a little differently than they had previously planned other acts. They passed the Townshend Acts in a way for them to still make money, but to avoid direct conflict with the colonists. The British thought that if they taxed imported items, as opposed to taxing items produced in the colonies (like the Stamp Act did), that the colonists wouldn’t have as much hostility towards the act. The second part of the Townshend Acts was sending of troops and warships to Boston. In September of 1768, warships arrived in Boston harbor carrying four thousand troops. The soldiers came to keep structure after all the colonists’ chaotic reactions of the past acts. The establishment of the Writs of Assistance was the last part of the Townshend Acts. British soldiers used the Writs of Assistance to search colonists’ houses for smuggled goods. After the British passed the Townshend Acts, the colonists had several reactions in response to them. One reaction was boycotting. This colonial boycott was on all imported British goods, and it was extremely widespread. The boycott encouraged more colonists to join the Sons and Daughters of Liberty, which lead to many colonists replacing items, which they would normally buy from British merchants, with homemade versions. These items included fabrics, candles, and tea. Another reaction was non-importation agreements. Non-importation agreements are written agreements that said that whoever signed one would not purchase items from British merchants until they got representation in British Parliament. A tremendous amount of colonists signed these agreements, and those who didn’t were sometimes harassed or had their property destroyed. Similarly,

    Read More

  • What Really Happened in the Boston Massacre?

    921 Words  | 2 Pages

    This chapter provided information from the trial of Captain Thomas Preston. The chapter asked the question, “What really happened in the Boston Massacre”. Chapter four focused on the overall event of the Massacre and trying to determine if Captain Preston had given the order to fire at Boston citizens. The chapter provides background information and evidence from Preston’s trial to leave the reader answering the question the chapter presents. Although, after looking through all the witnesses’ testimonies some might sway in Captain Preston’s favor, just the way the grand jury did.

    Read More

  • Examining Whether or not the Boston Massacre was a True Massacre

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines massacre as “the act or an instance of killing a number of usually helpless or unresisting human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty” or “a cruel or wanton murder” (m-w.com). Essentially a massacre results in either the death of many people or death by cruel means. The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770, in Boston, Massachusetts and involved American colonists and British troops. The colonists, upset by recent laws enacted by the British, taunted a smaller group of British soldiers by throwing snowballs at them (Boston Massacre Historical Society). In response, the soldiers fired upon the unarmed colonists leaving five people dead and six wounded (Phelan, 131). Even though the event in Boston on March 5, 1770, in which blood was shed, and called the Boston Massacre, the actions which took place on that day did not constitute a massacre. Since only five people were killed and six wounded and there was no evidence of cruelty, the name Boston Massacre was likely a propaganda ploy by Samuel Adams to rally the colonists against the British instead of a true massacre.

    Read More

  • The American Colonists Were Justified In The Revolutionary War

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Boston Massacre occurred in the evening of March 5, 1770. A crowd of people began harassing the soldiers. One event lead to another and the crowd began hurling snowballs and rocks. One of the snowballs stuck a soldier and he fired his weapon causing a series of shots toward the crowd. “...the frightened soldiers fired into the crowd.” (Doc 3). As a result of this incident, three people were killed on the scene and two were mortally wounded. The soldiers were also ordered not to fire. The colonists did not think that they should have been shot at or killed, this infuriated them. This event was said to have started the American Revolution. This leads to the British seizing power over the

    Read More

  • Essay On Boston Massacre

    653 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Boston Massacre was/was not a massacre because there was less than ten losses of life and the colonists were fighting as well making it not one-sided both of these facts go against our definition of a massacre where we said ten or more deaths in a one-sided event. The Boston Massacre was important because It was used by the Sons of liberty as anti-British propaganda to make the colonists dislike the British soldiers leading to the revolution for our freedom later becoming the United States of

    Read More

  • Essay On The Boston Massacre

    970 Words  | 2 Pages

    First we will touch on the deposition of Theodore Bliss, a local colonist. In Mr. Bliss’s deposition he states the colonists were provoking the soldiers. The colonists were throwing snowballs and yelling aggravating words at them. According to Mr. Bliss it was not until a soldier was struck with a stick that the first fire was shot. The deposition state that the order to fire was not given by Captain Preston. After the first shot was fired Mr. Bliss thinks the captain gave the order to fire but is not sure due to the fact a lot of people were yelling at the soldiers to fire. Claims none of the colonists charged at the soldiers prior to the first shot, but that after the first shot a couple of the colonists attempted to ...

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On The Boston Massacre

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Boston Massacre was one the most controversial massacre in American history that teased the coming of the American Revolution. People were taunting a British soldier who was standing “in front of the Boston Custom House” who got very frustrated to the point where he hit somebody. The soldier got overwhelmed by people who came after he hit one of them, called help from his fellow soldiers. When Captain Preston and his soldiers arrived at the scene, people were coming from everywhere, some were trying to fight them and some were just there to watch. Then, one of the soldier shot at the people and his fellow soldiers started shooting after, which killed five people. This what ended it up being called the Boston Massacre. Some might say that the murderer were the soldiers who shot the people, but the real murderer is

    Read More

  • Was The Boston Massacre Really a Massacre?

    950 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Boston Massacre came about because the British troops came into town and tried to enforce the Townshend Act, which placed a tax on tea, paper, glass and some other products from England (History.com). The people of Boston hated this idea and rapidly started to rebel. At this point people believed that the British were the first to start the confrontation, but they were wrong. The colonists started the riot. The colonists started throwing things at the soldiers, such as snowballs, sticks and rocks (Rebecca Beatrice Brooks).

    Read More

  • Boston Massacre

    992 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Boston Massacre is considered by many historians to be the first battle of the Revolutionary War. The fatal incident happened on March 5 of 1770. The massacre resulted in the death of five colonists. British troops in the Massachusetts Bay Colony were there to stop demonstrations against the Townshend Acts and keep order, but instead they provoked outrage. The British soldiers and citizens brawled in streets and fought in bars. “The citizens viewed the British soldiers as potential oppressors, competitors for jobs, and a treat to social mores'; (Mahin 1). A defiant anti-British fever was lingering among the townspeople.

    Read More

  • The Boston Massacre

    1581 Words  | 4 Pages

    There is no doubt that the Boston Massacre leads to the death of five civilians at the hands of British soldiers. During the tea party at the custom house, some of the guard came to informed and me that “the town civilians were assembling to attack the troops, and the bell was ringing as the signal for the purpose.” Wheeler, William B., and Susan D. Becker. "The Trial of Captain Thomas Preston." Discovering the American past. SIXTH ed. Vol. I. BOSTON: CHARLES HARTFORD, nod 80-86.

    Read More

  • The Boston Massacre

    2709 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Boston Massacre was an event that only strengthened colonial America’s hatred toward the British nation. People could answer the question of whether or no the Boston Massacre was truly a massacre differently. In my mind, yes, it was a massacre, I believe this because in the dictionary it states that a massacre is, “The unnecessary, and indiscriminate killing of a large number of human beings or animals.” I would have to say five people is a large number of human beings to kill in one sitting.

    Read More

  • Essay On The Boston Massacre

    1004 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Boston Massacre was a critical point in American history and fueled the American Revolution. It caused the Royal Governor to evacuate the occupying British troops from Boston. The Boston Massacre united the colonies in their fight for independence which, along with continued propaganda, led to the Revolutionary War.

    Read More

  • Effects Of The Boston Massacre

    612 Words  | 2 Pages

    The night of March 5th in Boston, Massachusetts took place was a horrific massacre brought on by the british soldiers. The British were not happy about the Americans decision to rebel against the new changes being made for Americans. The American Colonists rebel against the British because the colonists had been denied their rights. Prior to the night of the Massacre the british had also put in place multiple new taxes on the American colonies, these changes that were established were the result of this terrible massacre.

    Read More

  • The Boston Massacre

    1417 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout history, events are sparked by something, which causes emotions to rise and tensions to come to a breaking point. The Boston Massacre was no exception; America was feeling the pressure of the British and was ready to break away from the rule. However, this separation between these two parties would not come without bloodshed on both sides. The British did not feel the American had the right to separate them from under British rule, but the Americans were tired of their taxes and rules being placed upon them and wanted to succeed from their political tyrants. The Boston Massacre would be the vocal point in what would be recognized, as the Revolutionary War in American history and the first place lives would be lost for the cost of liberty. Even though the lives were lost that day, eight British soldiers were mendaciously accused of murder when it was clearly self-defense. People who are placed in a situation where their lives are threatened have the right to defend themselves. History does not have the right to accuse any one event those history may have considered the enemy guilty when they are fighting for their lives.

    Read More

  • Research Paper On Boston Bombing

    510 Words  | 2 Pages

    Boston, Massachusetts- Nearly 23,000 runners were participating in the Boston Marathon Monday April 15th, 2013. The race was almost to an end as two thirds of the runners have passed the finish line. It was then at 2:50 pm when devastation took the stage. (Eligon and Cooper)

    Read More

More about Boston Massacre Research Paper

Open Document