Evaluate the role of propaganda surrounding the Boston Massacre. Creation Station By Sam Lee

Background Information It occurred on March 5th of 1770. The event started on the King Street. 11 people were hit, 5 people died. Among the five people 3 people died immediately and 2 people died after some period of time.

Boston Massacre The event started on a snowy early evening. A young man name Edward Gerrish, who was known to be as an apprentice of a wigmaker. Gerrish requested an British Officer to come out. Soon Captain Lieutenant John Goldfinch came out. Edward Gerrish started to argue about Goldfinch not paying the bill to his wig-making master. Goldfinch ignored him and walked away. So did Gerrish, but soon he returned with some other people. Goldfinch still refused to pay Edward for the wig that he purchased. Then they began to exchange insults, one of the Guards could not hold and smacked Edward in the head. Than one of Edward’s companions began to argue with Goldfinch, which drew other people’s tensions. Soon the colonists crowd grew big and began to all argue against the British. Then some members of the crowd began to throw snowballs at the British, the actions slowly became more violent and severe. One of the guard, Private Montgomery was hit in the head by a Bostonian bartender. This made Private Montgomery to shout “Da*n you, fire!” The soldiers in chaos fired the guns at the colonists without realizing that it was not the order given by the captain.

The Result Samuel Gray: A Rope Producer died instantly at the scene. (Skull) James Caldwell: Crispus Attucks: Both Sailors died instantly at the scene of the incident. (Back x2) Samuel Maverick: 17 years old men, died the next morning. Patrick Carr: 30 years old men, died two weeks after the “Massacre”.

Court Most of the soldiers were found innocent. Two soldiers were charged of manslaughter, since they fired directly at people. So they were branded on their thumbs.

Propaganda The Puppy Some citizens have their backs turned away from the soldiers. The Church Butcher’s Hall

Propaganda Henry Pelham was the actual artist of the picture, but Paul Revere is the one who often is credited for the originality of the picture. In many colonist’s newspapers the picture was used. The news paper articles and the pictures were brought into use of insulting and accusing the British of being guilty of murder.

Source http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/t/d/tds12/boston_masscre.html https://stingraytales.wikispaces.com/Unit+3?f=print http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6805/ www.abc-clio.com/.../TCSS_Media-Propaganda-Boston-Massacre_part1_102308.pdf