Introduction
The Boston Massacre was a deadly clash between American colonists and British soldiers in Boston on March 5, 1770. It started off as a small fight between the colonists and a single British soldier, but quickly escalated into a huge event that acted as a precursor to the American Revolution.
Private Hugh White of the British army was the only soldier guarding a shop where the King's money was stored on King street on the cold evening of March 5th. Patriot riots and store looting were not uncommon, and a group of patriots threatened and attacked White by pelting him with snowballs. Soon, more colonists joined in by throwing sticks and stones. Somebody started ringing the town bell - which usually meant the town was under attack. Captain Thomas Preston of the British army arrived on the scene with more soldiers.
The patriots were split - some were worried about bloodshed and wanted the brawl to stop, and some could be heard daring the soldiers to fight. As tensions escalated, it's not clear what exactly happened next. Somebody supposedly said the word "fire." The British soldiers began firing, and 5 colonists were killed.
The big question is - who actually started the massacre? Who said the word "fire?" Was it the British or was it one of the patriots?
Task
You will take on the role of a juror for the Boston Massacre trial. Captain Preston Hughes and his soldiers will be tried. You will review multiple sources and take short notes on each one to help you come to your verdict. Remember, the biggest question you should keep in mind is: Who really started the Boston Massacre and why?
Review the sources below IN ORDER to help you reach your verdict.
WATCH:
VIEW: http://chnm.gmu.edu/tah-loudoun/wp-content/lessons/avdellas/boston-massacre_images.pdf
READ: http://chnm.gmu.edu/tah-loudoun/wp-content/lessons/avdellas/testimony.pdf
Process
To accomplish this task, you will need to view each source and testimony carefully from the "Task" section. Feel free to use a highlighter or a pen to help you identify the main points of the eyewitness testimonies. As you read each testimony, keep these thoughts in mind and write your thoughts for each question down if necessary:
1. Is this person a Royalist or a Patriot?
2. Do they have a bias based on their beliefs?
3. Were they a true eyewitness account? Were they there? Or are they telling a second-hand story?
4. Is this source credible? Why or why not?
Evaluation
You will be evaluated by your notes sheet and your role in the classroom trial that we will have at the complete of the webquest. Make sure that you do the following on your notes sheet:
1. Write down the name of each person's testimony you read
2. Write down their main argument. What do they say happened?
3. Write down your thoughts on each person's account. Keep these questions in mind: Is this a credible source? Was this person an eyewitness to the event? Is their story a secondhand account?
4. Write down your verdict: Are the British guilty or not guilty? Make sure that you write down at least three pieces of evidence to support your verdict.
The rubric for this assignment is below:
| Deficient | Acceptable | Target | Score/Level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name of Eyewitness and internal argument | Student does not write the names of eyewitnesses or their account. | Student does not identify the name and/or the argument of the eyewitnesses | Student correctly identifies the name of the eyewitnesses and their arguments. | 1-25 |
| Personal thoughts on each eyewitness account | Student does not write their thoughts on the accounts of each eyewitness | Students writes personal thoughts on some of the eyewitness accounts | Student includes personal thoughts on the account of each eyewitness | 1-50 |
| Verdict and Evidence | Student does not write their verdict or include pieces of evidence | Student writes the verdict but does not include at least 3 pieces of supporting evidence | Student writes their verdict and uses at least 3 pieces of evidence to support their claim. | 1-25 |
Conclusion
The Boston Massacre is a historical event of a very large significance. It truly heightened tensions between the British and the colonists that eventually led to the American Revolution and the birth of our nation. But, what really was the Boston Massacre verdict? Click below to find out.
WATCH: https://www.schooltube.com/media/Boston-Massacre-Trial-Verdict/1_k4q7n3au
For further Boston Massacre exploration, visit this website to explore actual documents from the trial. https://libguides.spsd.org/americanrevolution/massacre
Credits
Lynne Avdellas: Easy-to-read testimonals http://chnm.gmu.edu/tah-loudoun/blog/lessons/the-boston-massacre-you-be-the-judge/
Teacher Page
Copy and paste this graphic organizer into a word document for students to use as they read testimony accounts:
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My Verdict: ________________________________________________________
Evidence #1: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Evidence #2: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Evidence #3: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________