1. Analyzing Primary Sources and Understanding Multiple Viewpoints
The Boston Massacre

2. Picture Analysis Write down 5 details you see in the picture Go Deep!
No: “people” “stuff” “things”
Write 5 things you see
Share your 5 items with partner
Share out
Write what you think happened\

3. What was the Boston Massacre?
The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770 and was a street fight between a citizen mob, throwing snowballs, sticks and stones, and British soldiers. A few colonists were injured and killed, leading some to embark on a campaign to inspire citizens to revolution.

4. Multiple Viewpoints and Primary Sources
Always multiple sides to a story: especially history
Primary sources offer glimpse into past– from that person’s perspective
Historians piece together primary sources to draw conclusions/decipher what happened

5. History Alive! Text Book
Source 1
History Alive! Text Book
Who: Historians
What: Textbook for students
When: 2005
Where: United States
Why: Educate students
Potential Bias:
US made
Want books to sell; federal and state government decides approved books; will please governments

6. Source 1: Textbook
Underline any facts that were confirmed by both the textbook and the picture
Circle facts that are still in question

7. Picture Analysis Write down 5 details you see in the picture Go Deep!
No: “people” “stuff” “things”

8. Captain Thomas Preston
Source 2
Who: Commander of British Squad
What: Testimony at trial
When: 1770
Where: United States
Why: To try to avoid guilty sentence
Potential Bias:
Involved in event
At trial for murder; guilty v. innocent; will say what needs to be said to be deemed innocent
Captain Thomas Preston

9. Source 2: Thomas Preston
Underline any facts that were confirmed by all three sources
Circle facts that are still in question

10. Picture Analysis Write down 5 details you see in the picture Go Deep!
No: “people” “stuff” “things”

11. *Write this down on the back of your primary sources*
COMETS C O M E T S
REATOR
BSERVATIONS
EANING
YES
ONE
IGNIFICANCE
We use “COMETS” to analyze primary sources (mainly pictures and videos)

12. COMETS Whose eyes is this directed at— SPECIFICALLY?
Creator
Who created the piece? What was his/her job title, occupation or position?
Observations
Write 5 observations you have about the piece from first looking at it
Meaning
What is the speaker and piece saying about the topic?
What message is trying to be conveyed by the creator?
Eyes
Whose eyes is this directed at— SPECIFICALLY?
Who does the creator want to see this?
Tone
What is the tone of the piece, either the picture overall or the characters in the picture?
Significance
What is the importance of the piece?

13. Practice
Creator
Paul Revere, Patriot who wanted colonies’ independence
Observances
1. One side has guns, other does not; 2. Only one side dying; 3. Only white people
4. Captain is giving orders; 5. Dog in on bottom
Meaning
British soldiers fired on unarmed colonists and murdered them; The British are violent and unfair beings who will massacre any citizen that protests for their rights
Eyes
The piece is meant for colonists on the fence about the idea of Revolution and Loyalists
Tone
There is anger from the side of the Redcoats and fear and sadness from the side of the colonists. Overall, the piece has a very violent and ruthless tone
Significance
This example of propaganda was created to encourage colonists from all sides, whether they be loyal to the British Crown, already agitating for independence or unsure of which side to support, to support the independence movement. As a result of the way this piece portrayed the incident, more people joined the fight for freedom.

14. Tuesday

15. Tuesday, August 29 Take out your sources and Partner Up.
Each partner will pick one source to explain
Explain to your partner:
Who wrote/spoke it and when
Why was it written (or spoken)
What are the biases?

16. What does COMETS Stand for?
REATOR
BSERVANCES
EANING
YES
ONE
IGNIFICANCE
When will we use COMETS?

17. What Accurate summary of the source: What is the author talking about
What Accurate summary of the source: What is the author talking about? What is the author saying about that topic?
Who
Who wrote the source (name, occupation/position, significance)? What type of source is it?
Where/When
Where and when was the source written and published?
What was going on at the time and place in history?
Interesting/thoughtful connections made between the source and what the students know or can relate to– be sure to explain the connection as well
Why
Why was the source written? What biases and/or point of view are important to note?
What can you conclude about the time period using the source?
How does this source give more information about the time period?
Is this source reliable?

18. Practicing 6 C’s
Take out Source 2, Thomas Preston’s account of the Boston Massacre
Complete 6 C’s for the source individually

19. Content What is the author talking about?
His role in the Boston Massacre
What is the author saying about that topic?
He did nothing
Only went to town square to protect a soldier
Try to stop the violence
Citizens are at fault
They were attacking with clubs, throwing things
Mob = instigators
Soldiers fired because
they thought heard fire
One got hit and confused
Citizens were yelling
Content

20. Who wrote the source (name, occupation/position, significance)
Who wrote the source (name, occupation/position, significance)? Thomas Preston, Commander of the Brit Squad He was in charge of the soldiers who murdered the civilians What type of source is it? Testimony for a trial
Citation

21. Context Where and when was the source written and published? 1770
In Boston, MA – (13 Colonies)
What was going on at the time and place in history?
Tension between Colonies and Britain
Taxes
British treatment of the colonists
Housing soldiers and other abuses.
Bostonians still upset about the Boston Massacre
Independence openly talked about amongst colonists
Context

22. What interesting and thoughtful connections can be made? Explain
Sibling Rivalry
Tell mom “he/she did it!”
Both sides have a different story
One in charge has to figure out what actually happened
Police brutality
innocent civilians killed, firing
Seemingly with no reason
Connections

23. Communication Why was the source written? Testimony in Court
The incident was trying to be resolved
What biases and/or point of view are important to note?
So he wouldn’t die/be punished
Trying to save himself- he could be lying
Communication

24. Communication
What can you conclude about the time period using the source? The Boston Massacre was a much more complicated event than is presented in Paul Revere’s painting or in the history Alive Textbook. There were multiple sources available at the time, and all of them need to be analyzed to truly get an idea of what happened on that fateful day. According to this source, the British acted out of self defense and only fired out of confusion or protection. How does this source give more information about the time period? It provides a completely different viewpoint from previous sources, as well as casts doubt on the validity of the previous readings and pictures. Is this source reliable? The event is quite contentious and therefore no source can be deemed truly reliable. The colonists had many reasons to make the British look bad, while Captain Preston had many reasons to make himself look innocent. In both cases, it is important to take the details that are present in all sources to try to piece together what happened at the Boston Massacre.