“The Bloody Massacre in Kings Street” is an engraving done by the great Paul Revere. The engraving depicts the British lined up alongside an officer giving an order to fire, indicating that the British soldiers are the aggressors. He goes on to depict smiles on the faces of some of the soldiers as if to show they are enjoying this brutal murder. The Boston air was thick with tensions between the American colonists and the British leading up to March 5, 1770. This tension began to brew in the early 1760s, as American colonists began to disagree with the British who thought themselves to be the superiors. As the decade progressed, the British felt themselves losing their intimidation factor as American colonists ensued peaceful protests in the streets. On March 5th, 1770, British soldiers are at fault for murdering innocent protesters because, they were practicing carelessness, assuming a position of false superiority, and enacting a last ditch effort to remain in control.
As to what happened on the evening of March 5th, 1770, there is a plentiful amount of perspectives that have been studied for centuries. In the decade leading up to the massacre tensions were high, and as it is put by Wheeler and Becker, “the Massachusetts colony became a hotbed of opposition to imperial policy innovations" (81). There was intense strain on the relationship between the British and the American Colonists. More specifically this rising hostility honed in between the Boston residents, and
What follow are the events and tensions leading up to the Boston Massacre on March 5th, 1770. The soldiers and the colonists were quarreling and there were high tensions amongst them. In the days leading up to the massacre the soldiers may have plotted against the colonists of New England. There was a fight that took place at the ropemakers, which is considered to be one of the most influential encounters between the soldiers and the New Englanders. There are several different accounts of how this conflict took place. According to Captain Preston, “[o]n the [2nd] instant two of the 29th going through one Gray's ropewalk, the rope-makers insultingly asked them if they would empty a vault. This unfortunately had the desired effect by provoking
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.
On the cold and snowy night of March 5, 1770, rioters marched down King Street in Boston, breaking the usual silence. In front of the customs office, the violent rioters were met by five British soldiers and their commanding officer. They immediately began haranguing the soldiers. During the ensuing chaos, the soldiers, who had been bombarded by stones and balls of ice, were becoming anxious as they waited for commands from their superiors. However, the soldiers panicked when they heard, through the yells of the rioters, the word “Fire!”. Upon hearing that word, the soldiers opened fire on the crowd with their muskets. “Shouts and curses filled the air.” (pg. 206). Five rioters were swiftly killed.This was the infamous Boston Massacre- An event that shaped U.S. history and fed the growing flames of revolution among the British colonists in America. After the massacre, the outraged people of Boston called for a trial. Defending the soldiers was renowned lawyer and future president John Adams, who believed that everyone should be granted a fair trial. With the help of Mr. Adams, the soldiers were determined to achieve victory. Through months of thought and many struggles, they succeeded. As punishment, the soldiers were branded and sent back to England, but
On March 5 1770, a union of colonists gathered at the Customs House where they protested and harassed soldiers standing outside. These colonists were representing The Sons of Liberty, a secret organization aiming to rebel against the British Parliament. There was an abundance of tension between the colonists and Great Britain after new taxes were passed and British troops arrived in Massachusetts to enforce them. After many hours of chanting and protesting a shot was fired; the atrocious event left five men dead. The question society still ponders over 200 years later is what really happened and whose fault was it? The Boston Massacre initiated because of miscommunication; it was not a massacre but a mutual riot.
On March 5th 1770, shots was were fired at colonists leaving 5 of them dead. The colonist were mad about the Stamp Act and were protesting. The King sent soldiers to go and maintain the colonist, this later ended up causing the boston massacre. The Boston Massacre lead to more tension for the revolutionary war. There were a lot people that could have been at fault on this day. The colonists are to blame because they were taunting the soldiers, throwing objects at the soldiers, and the colonist were upset with the stamp act.
Fischer also mentions in his book the events of the Boston Massacre that took place on March 5, 1770 and its impact into the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Due to the increase of soldiers placed in Boston, colonists grew angry. This was seen as another invasion of the colonist’s liberties. They felt that it was the British rule’s way of showing a distrust
I am writing to express my opinion about the events that occurred March 5, 1770 in Boston. I feel very strongly that the blame rests solely on the nine British soldiers that fought in the massacre. These soldiers were much to harsh to the colonists were involved in this fight, and had no right to fire a gun at these innocent colonists trying to stand up for their rights of privacy, as well as just rights in general. I believe that the world should know what really happened on March 5, 1770 in the streets of Boston. I hope that you should continue reading to find out more.
The Boston Massacre, known as the Incident on King Street by the British happened on March 5 1770. A squad of British soldiers were being attacked by a mob. One of the soldiers fired, which caused others to fire. Over all five died all colonists. The event greatly boosted the revolution.
Boston Massacre The day of 5, March 1770 have its immense significance in the history of America. It is remembered as the day of the killing of five heroes of the revolutionary process of America. It is the day of Boston Massacre. It has its strong implications in the nation’s history (Sanchez).
There was growing tension between the British and the colonists due to several laws enforced on the colonists. These laws varied from the proclamation of 1763 to the tea act of 1773. The laws enforced by the Parliament was a large factor in the event that occurred on March 5, 1770. I believe that there was not a massacre on March 5, 1770. In the event of a massacre, there is the cruel and meaningless killing of the innocent.
The Boston Massacre is one of the most controversial events in American history that occurred in Boston before the American Revolution. Certainly, it has a fundamental role in the development of America as a nation, which led it to have a huge motivation for revolution. A heavy British military presence and having very high taxes in the country were some of the main reasons that made Boston citizens very irritated. Thus, there were already many disagreements and tensions between inhabitants and the British that could have led to the Massacre. In this essay, I will carefully analyze three primary sources, and compare these to the interpretation given by HBO’s John Adams. In my view, these sources can be
“Between the hours of nine and ten o’clock, being in my master’s house, was alarmed by the cry of fire, I ran down as far as the town-house, and then heard that the soldiers and the inhabitants were fighting in the alley… I then left them and went to King street. I then saw a party of soldiers loading their muskets about the Custom house door, after which they all shouldered. I heard some of the inhabitants cry out, “heave no snow balls”, others cried “they dare not fire”. The Boston massacre has been no massacre it was propaganda. The incident that happened March 5th, 1770 in the streets of Boston only killed five people and had six people with non fatal injuries. There were
On the evening of March 5, 1770, an argument between a few colonists and British Private Hugh White started to accelerate as more colonists gathered around and started to harass White. They were throwing sticks and snowballs at him on King Street outside the Custom House in Boston, Massachusetts. This incident became known as The Boston Massacre (“American Revolution”).
In 1770 an extraordinary number of British troops were stationed in Boston. The Colonists didn’t understand why there were so many troops after the war. This added to the already existent tension. The colonists taunted the Red Coats and on March 5, 1770 the colonists threw snowballs resulting a hasty decision by the Red Coats to fire at the colonists. Five colonists were killed and nine were wounded. This night is known as the Boston Massacre.
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”. A defiant anti-British fever was lingering among the townspeople.