British Perspective: On the account of one Captain Thomas Preston of the 29th Regiment of the British Royal Army, the Boston Massacre is seen as a tragic event resulting from misunderstandings and justified actions of self-defense. Recounting the events of March 5, 1770, Thomas Preston was found describing the crowd as “a mob” and “were outrageous”, highlighting just how frightful the situation may have been for both him and his fellow British soldiers in Boston. Incidentally, the crowd eventually grew into extreme acts of aggression that no doubt could have threatened the lives of the British soldiers, as the crowd soon, “Advanced to the points of the bayonets, struck some of them, and even the muzzles of the pieces, and seemed to be endeavoring too close with the soldiers.” This incident no doubt fed the crowds anger towards the British soldiers and caused massive confusion and …show more content…
The miscommunication appears to be just as surprising for Captain Preston in this situation as was for the onlooking crowd witnessing the events As Captain Preston reflects, “On my asking the soldiers why they fired without orders, they said they heard the word fire and supposed it came from me.” Overall, this provides me with extensive in-depth knowledge as to the confusion arising in this event, ultimately leading to a bloody miscommunication. After reflection, I believe the tone used throughout the excerpt from the London chronicle is one of frustration and anger, as it describes the events leading to the firing in a manner in which it could be read to critique how the Colonist handled the event, as well as mild confusion as to why the British soldiers ultimately received punishment with their Captain while the Colonist despite the deaths and injuries remained unresponsible in this
Boston Massacre: Captain Thomas Preston Before the1770’s the British government started to past laws without the Colonist knowing or having representation. Such as the Stamp act which caused newspapers, pamphlets, and public and legal document to by stamp which was taxed on the Colonists . This caused tension among the Colonists, especially the citizens of Boston. Soon most of the Colonists would start protesting in the streets. Then on March 5, 1770 next to the custom house a group of soldier were
1770, an event occurred in Boston, which consisted of British troops shooting upon colonists. People refer to this as a massacre, but they only look at one side of the story. The Boston Massacre in 1770 was not really a massacre, but a mutual riot (Boston Massacre History Society). British soldiers went to America to keep the people of Boston in order. However, the soldier's presence there was not welcomed by the Bostonians and this made things worse (Boston Massacre History Society). The British
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
I will be discussing the differences between Captain Thomas Preston’s Account of the Boston Massacre (1770) and Paul Revere, Image of The Bloody Massacre (1770). I will explain both men’s story beginning with Captain Thomas Preston vision of the event, then explain Paul Revere version of the event. I will then include my opinion on which account I believe is most accurate and explain why. Captain Thomas Preston’s vision of the Boston massacre was an incident were a British soldier accidently fired
WHO WAS TO BLAME FOR THE BOSTON MASSACRE? HISTORY 1301 DIPU SHRESTHA According to the textbook who was to blame for the Boston Massacre, several Boston resident were shot and killed by British Soldiers on the night of March 5, 1770, in what became known as Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre discusses the most important events that turned the colonial sentiment against the" King George III and the British acts and taxes." The showdown between the
During the American Revolution, numerous events occurred that assisted the thirteen colonies in gaining independence. Of these events, the Boston Massacre had the biggest impact. The Boston Massacre was the single most important incident leading up to the American Revolutionary War. The Boston Massacre was the killing of five colonists by British regulars. It took place March 5, 1770. Three separate confrontations between colonists and soldiers were going on at the same time. There happened to
The revolution occurred from the aftermath of numerous events, including the Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre was thought out as a propaganda event for colonialist, to aid for more support in the cause for the American Revolution. The tenacity for Britain to keep ahold their colonists loosened and like a rubber band, tensions within the two groups snapped. British soldiers were sent to Boston and fired upon the Boston mob, leaving five men dead after the end of the chaos. Trials took place to
The Boston Massacre was an important event in U.S. history, that lead to the American Revolution. This event brought attention to the unfair ways the British soldiers were treating the colonists. The British were treating the colonists unfairly by taxing them and using their homes for shelter and food. They used them for food by making them make meals for them to eat and if the colonist was a farmer with horses they would also take the horses. I will talk about the famous lawyer John Adams and other
Tragedy struck in March 5, 1770 when five civilians in Boston were shot, and six were injured due to the actions of British soldiers in the area. Tensions were high on King Street, as the citizens became more and more outraged at the British’s taxation of Boston residents. Despite the small number of casualties, this event became pegged as the Boston Massacre. The event, as well as the aftermath, caused a stir with the American public. Due to massive propaganda, it became a crucial event that sparked
The Boston Massacre On March 5, 1770, colonists were taunting a British sentry outside the Customs House. This was common for a day in colonized America. However, this day was more meaningful than any other before. The British sentry retaliated causing a considerable mob of colonists to get involved. Then some more British came to aid their comrade. Amid the chaos, the British fired their muskets into the crowd killing five and injuring three. This would later be referred to as the Boston Massacre
In March of 1770, during a time in which tensions were high between the British and the Colonists, five colonists were shot by British Soldiers in Boston. This was known as the Boston Massacre in the colonies, and it sparked incredible rage in the hearts of the colonists. In Great Britain, meanwhile, it was known as the Incident on King Street, and was just another worrisome action of the colonies. It all began when a British soldier was called into question about whether he paid for his new wig
Boston Massacre The events of March 5, 1770 should and have been remembered as momentous and predictable. Perhaps not the night or city specifically, but the state of affairs in Boston, if not throughout The English Colonies, had declined to the point that British troops found themselves frequently assaulted with stones, dirt, and human feces. The opinions and sentiments of either side were certainly not clandestine. Even though two spectators express clear culpability for the opposing side, they
affected by events in the revolution. The changes in Hewe’s occurred because of the Boston Massacre of 1770, The Boston Tea Party of 1773, and the tarring and feathering of John Malcolm in 1774. The events before and during the Boston Massacre of 1770 affected Hewes personally. The first of which was when he was cheated in payment from Sergeant Mark Burk. He claimed to be picking up shoes for Captain Thomas Preston and in the process didn’t pay Hewes for the shoes.
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
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