The Boston
Massacre

The Boston Massacre was a critical episode in the American independence movement. The origins of this skirmish between Bostonians and British troops lie in the passage of the Townshend Act in 1767, three years before the so-called massacre.

There was widespread resistance to the Townshend duties, including public demonstrations, petitions to King George and Parliament, and boycotts against British goods. Boston was the scene of numerous disturbances, and the situation in Boston was so tense that four thousand British troops were brought in to enforce the Townshend Act. Then in late February 1770, a British sympathizer, Ebenezer Richardson, tore down an anti-British poster. When an angry mob threw stones at Richardson’s house and hit his wife, Ebenezer fired into the crowd and killed an eleven-year-old boy. A mass funeral for the boy set the stage for the events of March 5, 1770.

On that chilly evening, an exchange between a local tradesman and a British officer outside the Customs House escalated when companions on both sides joined in the dispute. Church bells were rung, bringing more colonists to the scene (Document 5.6). Captain Thomas Preston, the officer in charge that day, tried to gain control of the situation by calling in reinforcements (Document 5.9). In the ensuing melee, Bostonians overwhelmed the British regulars, who sought to protect themselves. Someone fired his gun, and a number of British soldiers then followed suit, killing three men immediately and fatally injuring two others (Documents 5.6 and 5.9).

Within the month, Preston and eight British soldiers were indicted for murder and tried in fall 1770. Unable to find attorneys willing to defend himself and his troops, Preston appealed directly to patriot John Adams, who agreed to take the case to ensure a fair trial. Preston was tried separately and was acquitted. Six other soldiers were also acquitted, but two were found guilty of murder, a charge later reduced to manslaughter. Parliament repealed all of the Townshend duties except for the tax on tea.

The following documents reveal the chaos of that night from the differing perspectives of Bostonians and British soldiers. They also illustrate the ways that colonial leaders used the event to promote the patriot cause (Documents 5.7, 5.8, and 5.10).