Lesson 5: Things Heat Up in Boston

You made some predictions about these illustrations in Unit 2. Based on what you know now about colonial history what do you think is happening?

Boston Massacre March 5, 1770

A large crowd had gathered near several British soldiers. Some colonists had clubs. Some colonists began to throw rocks and snowballs at the British soldiers. Reinforcements were sent in under Captain Thomas Preston. As the crowd moved forward, a soldier fired his weapon in the confusion. Other soldiers fired and in the end four colonists were killed and one died later. Crispus Attucks, a black sailor who was active in the Sons of Liberty, was one of those who died in the attack.

The British Point of View Excerpt from the report of Captain Thomas Preston:...In my way there I saw the people in great commotion, and heard them use the most cruel and horrid threats against the troops. In a few minutes after I reached the guard, about 100 people passed it and went towards the custom house where the king's money is lodged. They immediately surrounded the sentry posted there, and with clubs and other weapons threatened to execute their vengeance on him. I was soon informed by a townsman their intention was to carry off the soldier from his post and probably murder him... I The American Point of View: From an anonymous source: THE HORRID MASSACRE IN BOSTON, PERPETRATED IN THE EVENING OF THE FIFTH DAY OF MARCH, 1770, BY SOLDIERS OF THE TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT WHICH WITH THE FOURTEENTH REGIMENT WERE THEN QUARTERED THERE; WITH SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE STATE OF THINGS PRIOR TO THAT CATASTROPHE...Whether the boys mistook the sentry for one of the said party (a group of unruly soldiers who had been about the area earlier), and thence took occasion to differ with him, or whether he first affronted them, which is affirmed in several depositions,-however that may be, there was much foul language between them, and some of them, in consequence of his pushing at them with his bayonet, threw snowballs at him

How many Americans were there? British Viewpoint about 100 70 to 80 American Viewpoint Words used to descibe the Americans Words used to descibe the soldiers What were the Americans carrying? What did the Americans do? What did the soldiers do? How did the firing start? Who told the soldiers to fire? How many were killed? What was the event called? rioters, mob, outrageous, soldiers, the men clubs and other weapons surrounded the soldiers with clubs, threatened them defended themselves and kept the mob at a distance soldier received a severe blow with a stick, stepped to one side and fired it was hard to tell some of the mob had been calling out fire, fire 3 killed, one more later, 3 seriously wounded and 4 slightly wounded a melancholy affair the people, boys, unruly, armed with guns and bayonets snowballs threw snowballs pushed people with their bayonets, pushed them in a rough manner within a short time after they were posted they began to fire upon the people only provocation was the throwing of snowballs Captain Preston 11 killed and wounded a horrid massacre

Boston Massacre Townshend Acts EVENT YEAR WHAT HAPPENED? REACTION British placed a tax on things like glass and paint. Colonists were very angry. 1767 Writs of Assistance were issued that allowed the British to search for smuggling without evidence. Circular letter- Massachusetts Boycott and more violence Britain sent more troops. 1770 British fire on colonists and five colonists are killed. Talk of war begins Crispus Attucks, former enslaved African, was first killed.

The British version Paul Revere s version

Important People on the Road to Revolution Person Patrick Henry Important Information Spoke out against the Stamp Act in the House of Burgesses. Samuel Adams Patriot leader in Massachusetts who helped write the Circular Letter Thomas Jefferson. Patriot leader in Virginia Paul Revere Patriot leader who made an engraving of the Boston Massacre

Captain Preston and several of his soldiers were arrested and put on trial for murder. They were defended by John Adams, a colonial leader and patriot who was the cousin of Samuel Adams. VERDICT Acquittal of Captain Preston and most of his soldiers. Two soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter, a lesser crime.

Important People on the Road to Revolution Person John Adams Important Information Patriot leader who defended British soldiers in a trial after the Boston Massacre..

REACTION Talk of war begins.

REACTION Committees of Correspondence 1772

In 1770 Samuel Adams and Joseph Warren began a Committee of Correspondence in Massachusetts to draft a statement of rights and grievances. Soon most of the colonies had established permanent Committees of Correspondence. These became a very important part of the Independence movement and were a major factor in the unifying of the colonies.

Committees of Correspondence Boston Massacre Townshend Acts EVENT YEAR WHAT HAPPENED? REACTION British placed a tax on things like glass and paint. Colonists were very angry. 1767 Writs of Assistance were issued that allowed the British to search for smuggling without evidence. Circular letter- Massachusetts Boycott and more violence Britain sent more troops. 1770 British fire on colonists and five colonists are killed. Talk of war begins Crispus Attucks, former enslaved African, was first killed. 1772 Samuel Adams called for a Boston town meeting to create a committee of correspondence to communicate Boston s position on issues to the other colonies. Similar committees were soon created throughout the colonies.

Revolutionary Tea There was an old lady lived over the sea And she was an island queen. Her daughter lived off in a new country With an ocean of water between The old lady s pockets were full of gold But never contented was she, So she called on her daughter to pay her a tax Of three pence a pound on her tea, Of three pence a pound on her tea.

The Tea Tax ( part of the Townsend Acts) was still in effect. Reactions to the Tea Tax Some Colonists smuggled in tea to avoid the tax. Some colonists boycotted tea The East India Company, a major seller of tea in the Colonies, ended up in financial trouble.

ACTION Tea Act 1773

Britain wanted to help the East India Company. Britain passed the Tea Act. The East India Company was given a tax break it didn t have to pay the Tea Tax. The East India Company was allowed to sell tea to chosen colonial merchants (mainly Loyalists). The East India Company had a monopoly on selling tea in the Colonies.

REACTION Colonists call it interference!

The Tea Act The King The Colonists

The Tea Act The King This is not a tax so why are you so angry! My Tea Act will result in lower prices for tea. You should be happy about this. The Colonists You are interfering in our economy. You are harming many of our colonial merchants.

Tea Act Committees of Correspondence Boston Massacre Townshend Acts EVENT YEAR WHAT HAPPENED? REACTION British placed a tax on things like glass and paint. Colonists were very angry. 1767 Writs of Assistance were issued that allowed the British to search for smuggling without evidence. Circular letter- Massachusetts Boycott and more violence Britain sent more troops. 1770 British fire on colonists and five colonists are killed. Talk of war begins Crispus Attucks, former enslaved African, was first killed. 1772 Samuel Adams called for a Boston town meeting to create a committee of correspondence to communicate Boston s position on issues to the other colonies. Similar committees were soon created throughout the colonies. 1773 Allowed one company to sell tea at a lower price. Colonists called it interference. Hurt colonial merchants.

Boston Tea Party REACTION Dec., 1773

Fourteen different people in Boston on the day of the Tea Party. Their occupation and their point of view on the political situation.

ELA Connection: Free verse Has rhythm but not rhyme

Assign 14 students to one of the roles. Have them rehearse their part Have each student deliver their part in sequence. Discuss point of view after each presentation.

EXAMPLE Character Quotation Point of View The Milliner

EXAMPLE Character Quotation Point of View What did you say? Another meeting at Old South about that tiny tax? The Milliner I say, PAY IT! Count your blessings. I prefer the King to a rabble-rousing mob.

EXAMPLE Character Quotation Point of View The Baker Slowly the dough rubbles and rises. Like liberty, I say. King George may be surprised by what we do!

The Destruction of Tea in Numbers and Facts The Boston Tea Party occurred on Thursday, December 16, 1773, and took 3 hours between 7 and 10 PM 90,000 lbs (45 tons) of tea in 342 containers was thrown overboard 116 people participated in the destruction of tea The destroyed tea was worth an estimated 10,000. In today s money this would be approximately equal to a million dollars More than 5000 people showed up for the meeting in the Old South Meeting house

Newscast Create a Breaking News report describing the Boston Tea Party.

Do you think it was an act of vandalism? Why or why not? Do you think it was an effective method of protest? Why or why not? Is it ever okay to break a law to make a point? What do you think will happen next?

The Boston Tea Party The King The Patriots

The Boston Tea Party The King This was an act of vandalism and there needs to be an adequate punishment for this action. The Patriots We needed to do something to get your attention!

Boston Tea Party EVENT YEAR WHAT HAPPENED? REACTION 1773 Colonists tossed tea into Boston Harbor as a protest of the Tea Act British were angry and demanded payment for the tea. British passed new laws. British blockaded Boston Harbor

ACTION Intolerable (Coercive) Acts 1774

Punishment for Boston Tea Party Boston Harbor closed and a blockade was set up.

Stopped the Massachusetts legislature from making laws and banned town meetings that were not authorized by the royal governor authorized by the royal governor. New Quartering Act

Intolerable Acts Boston Tea Party EVENT YEAR WHAT HAPPENED? REACTION 1773 Colonists tossed tea into Boston Harbor as a protest of the Tea Act British were angry and demanded payment for the tea. British passed new laws. British blockaded Boston Harbor 1774 The British passed four new laws as punishment for the Boston Tea Party. The British closed Boston Harbor until colonists paid for the money lost when the tea was dumped in the harbor. Colonists decided to meet to protest: First Continental Congress Some colonists got weapons New Quartering Act

REACTION Colonists meet to protest.

Britain sends more soldiers to the Colonies especially to the city of Boston. Conflicts increase between colonists and British soldiers in Boston. The Boston Massacre occurs in 1773. Many colonists are very angry about the Boston Massacre. Anger increases as the British pass the Tea Act of 1773. The Boston Tea Party occurs in December of 1773. Britain passes the Intolerable Acts in 1774 to punish Boston for the Tea Party.