The Boston Massacre Precursors and Rising Tension Essay

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The Boston Massacre: A Rousing Event

The Boston Massacre refers to an altercation that occurred when America was a new land, and still technically a colony of the British Empire. The facts of the Boston Massacre are as follows: the parties involved were a group of British soldiers and a group of colonists or patriots. Some historians refer to this event as a “street fight” and others view it as more of violent scuffle.[footnoteRef:1] While this altercation was not a technical battle, it was definitely one of the issues that had a direct impact towards the revolutionary war, and gathering support within the colonies to fight against the stifling British presence there and ultimately lead to the Revolutionary War and the increasing sense of patriotism within the colonies.[footnoteRef:2] This patriotism was essential in securing their own independence, as it increased a sense of commitment and internal loyalty. The Boston Massacre was a manifestation of all these elements. This paper will examine how the Boston Massacre was both a manifestation of increasing ill will towards the British Empire, and a galvanizing event that led to increased patriotism and a desire for independence. [1: Dennis B Fradin, The Boston Massacre (New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2009)] [2: Dee Ready, The Boston Massacre (Mankato, Minn: Bridgestone Books, 2002), 19, 22.]

The Boston Massacre was not unexpected and the result of increasing and somewhat unbearable tensions between the American colonies and the British Empire. The people of Boston had been outspoken when it came to pushing for protests in opposition to British taxation since 1765. The people of Boston had protest against the Stamp Act (1765) and once more against the Townshend Acts (1767).

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“Citizens believed that Britain did not have the right to tax them because they did not elect their representatives in Parliament.  Only the Massachusetts Assembly, whose members were elected every year, had the right to levy taxes on its citizens.”[footnoteRef:3] Given this tension, it was common to have riots and various forms of protests in the area, along with sometimes aggressive attacks on tax officials.[footnoteRef:4] It’s important to remember that in the 18th century, there was more aggression and violence was more commonplace than it is today. The troops that were ultimately impacted by the Boston Massacre, had been there for around a year and half, having arrived in October of 1768. [3: JA Heritage, "Events That Led to the Boston Massacre | John Adams Historical Society," John Adams Historical Society - The Official Website, accessed May 27, 2018, http://www.john-adams-heritage.com/events-that-led-to-the-boston-massacre/.] [4: JA Heritage, "Events."]

The presence of the troops in the Autumn of 1768 were through the invitation of the Governor at the time, Governor Francis Bernard. These troops were there to hopefully protect government officials against more “mob justice” and violent protests with the intent of restoring order. By restoring order, the British also intended to continue to reinforce the collection of taxes from citizens, which was of course a….....

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