US History- Boston Massacre- PRIMARY SOURCE STUDY Albrecht

Name : ___________________

Attachment 1
--KEY FACTS about the Boston Massacre and events leading up to it
October 1, 1768: British regulars arrive in Boston, Massachusetts to maintain order and enforce the taxes the colonists were asked to pay for after the French and Indian War, such as the Stamp Act and Townsend Acts.

The people of Boston resented the British soldiers and considered them a foreign presence. The Americans taunted them and did everything they could to prevent them from carrying out their duties.

March 5, 1770: a regiment of British soldiers were on guard duty at the Customs House. After leaving a local tavern/bar, a gang of unruly, drunk, colonial civilians confronted the British troops.

It was dark and the crowd threw snowballs, ice balls, horse manure, and anything else lying on the street at the British soldiers. The crowd also taunted the soldiers by yelling and calling them names.

US History- Boston Massacre- PRIMARY SOURCE STUDY Albrecht

Name : ___________________

Attachment 2
Engraving by Paul Revere of the Boston Massacre

US History- Boston Massacre- PRIMARY SOURCE STUDY Albrecht

Name : ___________________

Attachment 3
This is a slightly different perspective on the Boston Massacre. What do you think?

US History- Boston Massacre- PRIMARY SOURCE STUDY Albrecht

Name : ___________________

Attachment 4

There is something wrong with Paul Reveres engraving

The snow, ice, and manure the colonists had thrown are not in the picture. The soldiers are in formation as if they came prepared to fight. The British commander seems to be ordering the troops to fire. The British soldiers all have smirks on their faces. It is still light outside in the engraving. The colonists look very passive, as if they had been walking by, minding their own business. There are women and even a dog in the engraving. The man in the engraving who represents the first man killed is white, when in reality, he was black.

*Make sure to really highlight the fact that there are always two sides to every story. Propaganda has always existed and always will. *Propaganda is especially effective with the uneducated and simple-minded.

*It is your DUTY as a citizen, just as it was during the early days of our republic, to seek out the truth so that you not only know what to think, but what action to take. (This is something that has been conveniently forgotten by most Americans; Which actually benefits the government if you think about it.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~YOUR TASK~: Somewhere in the middle of these two pictures is the truth. You just need to find it. -Write a two-paragraph response explaining the Boston Massacre through your eyes. Paragraph 1= Describe the event from your perspective. Paragraph 2= Who is to blame AND what should happen to the British soldiers involved. EXPLAIN in detail. (5-7 sentences per paragraph)