HIST2111 – US History I

Primary Source #2

No Laughing Matter: Political Cartoons of the Boston Crisis

INSTRUCTIONS: Examine the following political cartoons related to the city of Boston and the rebellion that took root
there. After studying the images, answer the following questions in short answer form. Once completed, upload your
assignment to the designated drop box by the due date and time. Don’t forget that there are two (2) images with eight
(8) total questions between them!

Please remember to type your answers IN A NEW WORD DOCUMENT (size 12 font, double spacing). You must respond
to each question with a minimum of 5-7 sentences.

IMAGE #1 – The Bloody Massacre on King Street Boston on March 5 1770 by a Party of the 29 th Regt., 1770

BRIEF HISTORY OF “THE BLOODY MASSACRE”: While journals, diaries, letters, or even court testimony are the most
common forms of primary source documents from the early American period, political cartoons also made their way to
prominence in the years leading up to the American Revolution. Boston was at the forefront of the rebellion. Beginning
in the 1750s, numerous protests and riots had gripped the city as the colonists itched for more personal freedoms.

On a cold March night in 1770, a young British soldier stands guard outside of a military barracks. A group of Bostonian
colonists begins forming in front of the soldier. They’re cold, angry at the presence of the army, and honestly probably a
little drunk as well. They begin hurling insults and eventually, snowballs and chunks of ice. The soldier yells for
reinforcements and more soldiers come out to assist with the growing mob. The colonists become more agitated and
eventually, over 100 people join them. In the midst of the chaos, shots were fired into the crowd and 5 men were killed.
Later that week, the following image was published in every colonial newspaper in America.

The soldiers and their commander actually stood trial for murder after the incident. They were defended in court by
“Founding Father” and future President, John Adams (he believed in a fair trial for all – even Red Coats!). He won his
case and they were all acquitted on all charges. However, this image would live on as a symbol of the rebellion.

Look at the image (on the next page) and answer the following questions.
1. How does the engraving present the colonists? What about the British soldiers? (i.e. do they look defenseless,
aggressive, etc.) Based on your observation? Who is the illustrator portraying as the instigators?

2. One of the five victims of the Boston Massacre was of African and Native American descent. He is often
considered the first casualty of the American Revolution. But if you look at the engraving, all the victims are
white. Why do you think Revere changed his appearance (and race for that matter) in the engraving? Use your
readings to back up your response.

3. What do you believe Paul Revere and the colonial press were trying to accomplish with this picture?

4. In your opinion, was the Boston Massacre truly a massacre? Based on the information above, who do you
believe is to blame for the incident?
(Random fun fact: Notice the name of the man who published the image (bottom right corner)? Yes, it is THAT Paul
Revere. BUT, he didn’t create the image! It was initially drawn by a man named Henry Pelham. Revere copied his
engraving, embellished it a little, and sold copies of it all over Boston before Pelham could get it to press.)
IMAGE #2 – Bostonians Paying the Excise-Man, 1774

BRIEF HISTORY OF “EXCISE-MAN”: In the months immediately following the Boston Tea Party, Parliament established
harsh laws and punishments in order to restrain the growing rebellion. In the city of Boston, this sparked intense
backlash and established distrust in any British official representative of the Crown. One of the continual grievances the
colonists had against the King was the increase in tariffs or duties on imports and exports. For example, when a ship
came into port with a cargo hold full of goods, they would need to pay tariffs on the items before they could be taken to
shops. The man responsible for these payments was known as an Excise Man.

John Malcolm was an ardent loyalist. Even thought he had lived most of his life in Boston and was surrounded by
rebellious fervor, he maintained his allegiance to the crown. Unfortunately for him, he was in a very unpopular position
at a very controversial time. In January 1774, Malcolm was in an argument with a young boy and threatened to hit him
with his cane. Upon seeing this, another man named George Hewes (a member of the Sons of Liberty and participant in
the Boston Tea Party), yelled, “Mr. Malcolm, I hope you are not going to strike this boy with that stick!”

An argument between the two men ensued and ultimately, Malcolm hit Hewes over the head so hard that it knocked
him out. Later that evening, after hearing about the transgression between the two men, a large mob formed outside of
Malcolm’s home. He was dragged from his house, stripped of his coat and shirt, and tarred and feathered in front of a
cheering crowd. Tarring and feathering is exactly what it sounds like – covering a person in hot tar and then throwing
feathers all of them. It’s meant to be degrading, humiliating, and a public spectacle. It literally makes you look like a
chicken. (Side note: it often results in burns and severe injuries from removal of the tar – so it’s a big deal!).

After his tarring and feathering, Malcolm was paraded around the Boston Common and brought in front of the Liberty
Tree (a large elm tree in the middle of the public park with symbolic ties to the rebellion). The crowd demanded he
renounce his job and his loyalty to the crown. He refused. They forced a noose around his neck and threatened him with
death if he did not renounce. He still refused. It wasn’t until the mob threatened to cut off his ears that he finally
relented and was set free in shame.

The story was published all over the colonies and back in England. The following political cartoon appeared in
newspapers in response to the incident.

Read the above information, look at the image (on the next page) and answer the following questions.

5. Look to the left behind the main characters – what do you see and how do you think it relates to the assault on
Malcolm?

6. What do you think is the significance of depicting John Malcolm being forced to drink tea?

7. Look at the perpetrators of the incident. How are they depicted? What characteristics can you see that
distinguish them as being American rebels as opposed to British loyalists (remember this image is from a British
newspaper, not American)?

8. How might British and American audiences interpret this image differently? Can you draw any comparisons to
the first image depicting the Boston Massacre?