The Boston Massacre

A detailed Summary of The Boston Massacre

This period in American history is one that is labeled as a time of change. Change for the American people as a whole and a change in the control of the British government. From the time of the first voyages across the Atlantic to the beginning of the quest for independence, people in this land were, even sometimes unconsciously, beginning to gain a sense of self-motivation and loyalty to those around them that had accompanied them into this New World. The people had gained almost a new identity; one that strayed drastically from the places in which they had came from. This feeling is one that could be labeled as American Patriotism. This patriotism would make these people eventually stand up for what they believed to be an injustice done unto them by a higher power and make them fight for their right to live freely in the way that best suited them. Not in a way that best suited the King of England some thousand miles away.

The events that led up to the American Revolution are all said to have sparked the Colonists into battle in one way or another. Many events had greater significance than others; one such event would be the Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre was in some ways a turning point in the minds of the Americ

The Boston Massacre, as it was labeled, took place on the fifth day of March in 1770. Fire bells rang out and alerted the townspeople of a fire. Many people fled to see exactly where the fire had taken place. This brought many people into the streets along with many British soldiers. Soldiers of the 29th Regiment, commanded by Captain Preston, who were stationed at the Customs House, began to get taunted by the numbering people amongst them. A crowd emerged among them and solid snowball began to fly through the air. Soldiers began to dodge snowballs and throw their bayonets.7 Several snowballs pelted the officers and among the hustle a single shot was fired. This shot led to a number of shots that were released into the crowed. When the smoke cleared three people lay dead with two more to die, one on the following day, and eight more wounded.8 The men who lay wounded:

the end only two of the soldiers that were tried were committed. The two that were found guilt only received a slap on the wrist.12

Since the end of the Seven Years War against the French, the British had gone into a great burden of debt. England finally confronted the matter when it appointed George Greenville to Prime Minister in 1763. Facing a debt that had nearly doubled since 1754, from 73 million pounds to 137 million pounds, Greenville had to find new ways to gain funds without taxing the already heavily taxed English people.1 Greenville assessed the situation and determined that since the colonists had been a major beneficiary of the war time expenditures that the Americans should be the ones to pay a greater share of the cost for running the empire.2 The question did not dawn on Greenville to think about the justice of taxing the Colonists. Greenville created and proposed a couple of different laws that were designed to tax the Colonists in order for Parliament to gain funds.

The first act that was passed by the British Government was the Sugar Act. This act, passed by parliament in 1764, laid down tariffs on certain imports such as molasses and sugar. This alarmed the Colonists. It was the first act that was specifically designed to raise taxes, not just to channel trade through Britain. The Sugar Act was imposed on the colonists during a time of postwar depression.3 This made the Colonist even more worried and aware of Britain's impending power over them.

The Colonists were joyous that the Stamp Act was repealed but knew that the British were still going to tax them. They saw that

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Category: History