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 lay 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, and boycotts against British goods. The situation in Boston became so tense that four thousand British troops were brought in to enforce the Townshend Act. In late February 1770, a British sympathizer tore down an anti-British poster, and an angry mob then threw stones at his house and hit his wife. The homeowner 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.

On that chilly evening, an exchange between young men and a British officer outside the Customs House escalated with supporters joining both sides. Church bells were rung, bringing more colonial sailors and soldiers to the scene (Document 5.5). Captain Thomas Preston, the officer in charge, called in reinforcements to regain control (Document 5.8). As Bostonians overwhelmed the British regulars, someone fired his gun. A number of British soldiers then followed suit, killing three men immediately, including Crispus Attucks, and fatally injuring two others (Documents 5.5 and 5.8).

Within the month, Preston and eight British soldiers were indicted for murder; they were tried in October 1770. Unable to find attorneys, Preston appealed directly to patriot John Adams, who agreed to take the case to ensure a fair trial. Adams provided a strong defense (Document 5.9), resulting in the acquittal of Preston, who was tried separately, and of six of the other eight soldiers. Two soldiers were found guilty of murder, a charge later reduced to manslaughter.

The following documents reveal the chaos of that night from the differing perspectives of Bostonians and British soldiers. They also illustrate the ways that some colonial leaders used the event to promote the patriot cause (Documents 5.6 and 5.7).