| Boston Massacre, riot in the
city of Boston, Massachusetts, on March 5, 1770, in which British
soldiers fired on a group of unarmed American colonists. The
incident was one of the events that led to outbreak of the American
Revolution in 1775. (
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761579296/Boston_Massacre.html ) In
Boston in March, 1770, emotions are running high. British
troops have been in the city for over a year. Since they
weren't allowed to be housed with the citizens, they are living in
cold, damp warehouses. Crowds taunt them, throwing snowballs
and calling them names.
http://www.middleboro.k12.ma.us/Middleboro/Learns/massacre/BMass3.htm
The Verdict
Captain Preston and eight soldiers were
jailed and tried for murder. They were
defended by John Adams (who later became the
second President of the United States) and
all but two were acquitted on grounds of
self defense. Those two were convicted of
Manslaughter, but claimed benefit of clergy.
This means that they were allowed to make
penance instead of being executed. To insure
that they never could use benefit of clergy
again they were both branded on the thumbs.
The new country hoped to show that even
these hated British soldiers could receive a
fair trial, and a just punishment.
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http://www.historywiz.com/bostonmassacre.htm
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http://www.pbs.org/
wgbh/aia/
part2/images/
2cris2378b.jpg |
http://russell.
gresham
.k12.or.us/Colonial_
America/+graphics
/pictures
/Boston%20Massacre.gif |
http://chnm.gmu.
edu/exploring/
images/
massacre2a.jpg |
You are living in Boston in March, 1770 just after the
Massacre.
You are a British soldier of the 29th regiment stationed in Boston.
Write a letter home describing the atmosphere in Boston. Who is causing
the trouble? What are your fears.
OR
You are a local merchant (tradesperson) in Boston. You must pay taxes
to King George in England to buy cloth to sell in your store. You think
this is unfair.
Websites to use:
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761579296/Boston_Massacre.html
http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/winter96/massacre.html
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Boston Massacre
