1 Exploring Perspectives of the Boston Massacre Overview Through the examination of images and the creation of role plays, students will explore the various perspectives of the Boston Massacre, understanding how this controversial day in history played a part in the outbreak of the American Revolution. Grade 8 North Carolina Essential Standards • 8.H.1.1 - Construct charts, graphs, and historical narratives to explain particular events or issues. • 8.H.1.2 - Summarize the literal meaning of historical documents in order to establish context. • 8.H.1.3 - Use primary and secondary sources to interpret various historical perspectives. • 8.H.1.4 - Use historical inquiry to evaluate the validity of sources used to construct historical narratives (e.g. formulate historical questions, gather data from a variety of sources, evaluate and interpret data and support interpretations with historical evidence). • 8.H.1.5 - Analyze the relationship between historical context and decision-making. • 8.H.2.1 - Explain the impact of economic, political, social, and military conflicts (e.g. war, slavery, states’ rights and citizenship and immigration policies) on the development of North Carolina and the United States. • 8.H.2.2 - Summarize how leadership and citizen actions (e.g. the founding fathers, the Regulators, the Greensboro Four, and participants of the Wilmington Race Riots, 1898) influenced the outcome of key conflicts in North Carolina and the United States. Essential Questions • What events occurred on March 5, 1770 that became known as the Boston Massacre? • Who was involved in the Boston Massacre and in what way did they participate in and/or instigate the events? • What role did perspective and propaganda play in the recounting of the events of the Boston Massacre? • In what ways did the Boston Massacre lead to the outbreak of revolution in the colony? Materials • Boston Massacre Image from Colonial perspective, attached • Boston Massacre Image from British perspective, attached • The Boston Massacre, reading attached Duration 60 minutes (additional time may be necessary based on how much time allotted for preparing and presenting scenes) Procedure The Boston Massacre – Murder or Self Defense? 1. As a warm-up, project or distribute copies of the attached Boston Massacre Image 1 (do not share the title of the image with students). Pair your students and have them examine the image and discuss/complete the following: • Summarize the contents of this image. What do you see (objects, people, actions, symbols, setting, etc.)
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ExploringPerspectivesoftheBostonMassacreOverviewThroughtheexaminationofimagesandthecreationofroleplays,studentswillexplorethevariousperspectivesoftheBostonMassacre,understandinghowthiscontroversialdayinhistoryplayedapartintheoutbreakoftheAmericanRevolution.Grade8NorthCarolinaEssentialStandards• 8.H.1.1-Constructcharts,graphs,andhistoricalnarrativestoexplainparticulareventsorissues.• 8.H.1.2-Summarizetheliteralmeaningofhistoricaldocumentsinordertoestablishcontext.• 8.H.1.3-Useprimaryandsecondarysourcestointerpretvarioushistoricalperspectives.• 8.H.1.4-Usehistoricalinquirytoevaluatethevalidityofsourcesusedtoconstructhistoricalnarratives
(e.g.formulatehistoricalquestions,gatherdatafromavarietyofsources,evaluateandinterpretdataandsupportinterpretationswithhistoricalevidence).
• 8.H.1.5-Analyzetherelationshipbetweenhistoricalcontextanddecision-making.• 8.H.2.1-Explaintheimpactofeconomic,political,social,andmilitaryconflicts(e.g.war,slavery,states’
rightsandcitizenshipandimmigrationpolicies)onthedevelopmentofNorthCarolinaandtheUnitedStates.
• 8.H.2.2-Summarizehowleadershipandcitizenactions(e.g.thefoundingfathers,theRegulators,theGreensboroFour,andparticipantsoftheWilmingtonRaceRiots,1898)influencedtheoutcomeofkeyconflictsinNorthCarolinaandtheUnitedStates.
EssentialQuestions• WhateventsoccurredonMarch5,1770thatbecameknownastheBostonMassacre?• WhowasinvolvedintheBostonMassacreandinwhatwaydidtheyparticipateinand/orinstigatethe
events?• WhatroledidperspectiveandpropagandaplayintherecountingoftheeventsoftheBostonMassacre?• InwhatwaysdidtheBostonMassacreleadtotheoutbreakofrevolutioninthecolony?Materials• BostonMassacreImagefromColonialperspective,attached• BostonMassacreImagefromBritishperspective,attached• TheBostonMassacre,readingattachedDuration60minutes(additionaltimemaybenecessarybasedonhowmuchtimeallottedforpreparingandpresentingscenes)Procedure
TheBostonMassacre–MurderorSelfDefense?1. Asawarm-up,projectordistributecopiesoftheattachedBostonMassacreImage1(donotsharethetitle
oftheimagewithstudents).Pairyourstudentsandhavethemexaminetheimageanddiscuss/completethefollowing:• Summarizethecontentsofthisimage.Whatdoyousee(objects,people,actions,symbols,setting,
etc.)
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• Characterizetheactionsdepicted.Whatseemstobeoccurring?• Describetheattitudesandemotionsthatarerepresented.• Whenandwheremightthisbeoccurring?Whatevidencemakesyouthinkthis?
2. Oncepartnershavehadampletimetodiscuss,havethemreporttheirinterpretationoftheimagebacktoclass.Then,explaintostudentsthatthisimageisanengravingproducedbyPaulRevererepresentingwhatbecameknownastheBostonMassacre.Shareafewfactsregardingtheincident:• OnMarch5,1770abrawloccurredbetweenBritishsoldiersstationedatataxofficelocatedinBoston,
MAandcolonists.• DuringthistimetensionsbetweenBritishsoldiersandPatriotcolonistswererising.Colonistsyelled
insultsattheBritishguards,chaosbrokeout,andtheconfusioneventuallyledtotroopsdischargingtheirmuskets
• 4civilianswerekilledatthescene,andonediedaftertheincident.3. Askstudentstoconsiderthesefactsandreexaminetheimage.Discuss:
• Accordingtothisimage,whoappearstobetheaggressorsinthesituation?Whoappearstobethevictims?Whatevidencemakesyouthinkthis?
• IfthisimageweretheonlyinformationyouhadtoguideyouinrecountingthestoryoftheBostonMassacre,whatstorywouldyoutell?
4. Next,projectorhandouttheBostonMassacreImage2.Askstudentstoexaminethisimageandthen
compareittothefirst:• Whatdoyouseeinthisimage?Whatseemstobeoccurring?• Accordingtothissecondimage,whoappearstobetheaggressor?Whoappearstobethevictims?• HowdoesthisrepresentationoftheBostonMassacredifferfromthefirstimagethatweexamined?• WerethisimagetheonlyinformationyouhadtoguideyouinrecountingthestoryoftheBoston
Massacre,whatstorywouldyoutellthistime?
5. ExplainthataftertheeventoccurredonMarch5,1770,averyimportantquestionremainedtobesolved.Werethesoldiersprovokedtofireandactinginselfdefense;or,werethecolonistsmurdered?Askstudentstodiscusswhytwosuchdifferentimagescouldexistofthesameevent.Ensuretheclassmentionsthedifferenceinperspectives,andgooverthetermpropaganda.Explainthatpropagandaisatypeofmessageaimedatinfluencingopinionsand/orthebehaviorofpeople.Propagandamayprovideonlypartialinformationorbedeliberatelymisleading.Askstudentstodiscusshowthetwoimagesillustratepropaganda.
TheBostonMassacre–ExploringPerspectiveswithRolePlays
6. DividestudentsintogroupsandhandouttheattachedreadingontheBostonMassacre.TellstudentsthattheywillbereadingbackgroundinformationontheBostonMassacre,thenpreparingashortsceneabouttheeventfromtheperspectiveofthepersonassignedtothem.Giveeachgroupadifferentperspectivefromwhichtopreparetheirscene:
• JohnAdams• SamuelQuincyII• PrivateHughMontgomery• CaptainThomasPreston• CrispusAttucks• APatriotsailorinthecrowd
7. Tellstudentsthatafterreadingthehandout,theyshouldbeginwritingandpracticingtheirscene.
Teachersshouldsetguidelinesforthescenes,suchas:
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• YoursceneshouldillustrateaspectsoftheBostonMassacrefromtheperspectiveofthepersonassignedtoyourgroup.(Considerhavingyourassignedpersonserveasthemaincharacterinthescene.)
• Yourscenemaytakeplacebefore,during,oraftertheeventsoccurringonMarch5,1770.ConsidersharingaspectsoftheBostonMassacreothersmayoverlook.Thinkoutsidethebox!
• Yoursceneshouldlastaround5minutesandhaveabeginning,middle,andend.• ThepurposeofyoursceneistoshareinformationabouttheBostonMassacrefromthe
perspectiveofthepersonassignedtoyou.Thepurposeisnottobecomedic.Ensureeachofyoutaketheroleyouplayseriously,andmakethesceneasbelievableaspossible.
8. Oncestudentsarereadytoperform,gooveryourexpectationsforrespectfulaudiencemembers(listento
andwatchtheperformers,claploudlywhentheyarefinished,etc.)Instructstudentstotakenotesastheywatchthescenesbycreatingthefollowingchartonnotebookpaperandfillingintheappropriateinformation:
Listthehistoricalcharacterspresentinthescene:
Summarizetheeventsdepictedinthescene:
Fromwhoseperspectivewasthisscenebasedon?Whatevidencemakesyouthinkthis?
9. Onceallsceneshavebeenpresented,discuss:
• Inwhatwaysdidthescenesdiffer?Whydidtheydiffer?• Howcansuchdifferentperspectivesofthesameeventarise?• Basedontheeventsasyouhavelearnedthem,whoistoblamefortheBostonMassacre?• Doyouagreeordisagreewiththecourt’sdecision?Explain.• Whatactionsweretakentoensurethesoldiersreceiveafairtrial?Whydoyouthinkthiswas
necessary?• CharacterizeJohnAdams.Whatdoyouthinkofhisdecisiontorepresentthesoldiers?• IthasbeendebatedwhetherornottheBostonMassacreshouldbeclassifiedasa“massacre.”Does
thesituationmeritsuchaclassificationinyouropinion?Whyorwhynot?Whomighthavepushedforsuchaclassificationoftheeventandwhy?
• Whatcansuchadebateteachusaboutthewayhistoryisrecounted?• TheBostonMassacreisconsideredoneofthecausesoftheAmericanRevolution.Whymightthis
eventhaveinstigatedrevolution?CulminatingActivities• HavestudentscreateatimelineofeventsleadinguptoandcausingtheAmericanRevolution.Tell
studentsthattheirtimelinemustcontain:o 10-15eventstitled,inchronologicalordero A3+sentencedescriptionofeachevent,notingwhyitcontributedtocausingtheAmericanRevolutiono Adrawingorvisualimageforeachevent
• HavestudentsresearchthosekilledintheBostonMassacreandwritetheirobituaries.DifferentiationStudentswithSpecialNeeds• Studentscanbegivenalternateassignmentstotherollplay.Forexample,assignastudentacharacter
andhavethemcreateanillustrationoftheBostonMassacrefromthatcharacter’sperspective.
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AIG• InstructstudentstoreenactthetrialfollowingtheBostonMassacre:1. Chooseonestudenttoserveasthejudge,thendividetheclassintothreegroups:
o Defense:§ Defendant:CaptainThomasPreston,29thregimentBritisharmy§ Attorney:JohnAdams§ Witnesses:BritishsoldierinvolvedinGray'sropewalkincident,Britishsoldierinvolvedinfiring
uponcolonistsinMassacre,MassachusettscolonyLt.GovernorThomasHutchinsono Prosecution:
§ Plaintiff:JohnGreen,woundedmemberofPatriotmob§ Attorney:JohnHancock,Bostonmerchant§ Witnesses:EdwardPayne(woundedmemberofPatriotmob),BenjaminFrizzell(wounded
memberofPatriotmob),SamuelAdams(patriotleader)o Jury:Remainderofclass
2. StudentswillresearchtheeventsoftheBostonMassacreandcompletethefollowing:
§ Allstudentsshouldresearchthecase(usetheInternettouncoverfactsfromtheactualeventandtrialfollowing),compilinginformationthatmayhelpyourside
§ Attorneysandwitnesseswillworktogethertopreparewitnesstestimony;Determinetwo-threequestionswitnesseswillbeaskedonthestand;itisadvisedgroupsinferandconsiderwhatthecross-examinationmayincludeandtrytohaveananswerprepared
§ Prepareopeningarguments(3-5minutes)§ Prepareclosingarguments(3-5minutes)
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BostonMassacreImage1
Source:http://chnm.gmu.edu/exploring/images/massacre2a.jpg
BostonMassacreImage2
Source:http://web.mit.edu/17.508/www/images/bostonm.jpg
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Name:_________________________TheBostonMassacreOnMarch5,1770,ayoungapprenticenamedEdwardGarrickcalledouttoaBritishofficer,CaptainJohnGoldfinger,thathewaslatepayinghisbarber'sbill.Goldfingerhadinfactsettledhisaccountthatdaybutdidnotreplytotheboy.WhenGarrickremainedquitevocalinhiscomplaintsanhourlater,theBritishsentryoutsidethecustomshouse,PrivateHughWhite,calledtheboyoverandclubbedhimonthehead.Garrick'scompanionsyelledatthesentryandaBritishsergeantchasedthemaway.Theapprenticesreturnedwithmorelocals,shoutinginsultsatthesentryandthrowingsnowballsandlitter.WhitesentamessengertotheMainGuardforreinforcements.TheOfficeroftheDay,CaptainThomasPreston,accordingtohisaccount,dispatchedanon-commissionedofficerandtwelveprivates,allsoldiersofthe29thRegimentofFoot,andhefollowedsoonafterward.Themobgrewinsizeandcontinuedharassingtheofficers,peltingthemwithstones,sticks,andchunksofice.Agroupofsailorsanddockworkerscamecarryinglargesticksoffirewoodandpushedtothefrontofthecrowd,directlyconfrontingthesoldiers.Asbellsranginthesurroundingsteeples,thecrowdofBostoniansgrewlargerandmorethreatening.Prestonarrivedwithfourothersoldiers:HughMontgomery,ThomasWeems,JohnCarroll,andMathewKilroy.Inthemidstofthecommotion,PrivateHughMontgomerywasstruckdownontothegroundbyapieceofice.Hefiredhismusket,lateradmittingtooneofhisdefenseattorneysthatsomeonehadyelled"Fire!"Allofthesoldiersbutonefiredintothecrowd.Theirunevenburstshitelevenmen:Three-ropemakerSamuelGray,marinerJamesCaldwell,andanAfricanAmericansailor,CrispusAttucks—diedinstantly.Seventeen-year-oldSamuelMaverick,struckbyaricochetingmusketballatthebackofthecrowd,diedthenextday.Thirty-year-oldIrishimmigrantPatrickCarrdiedtwoweekslater.Theothersixwhowerewoundedsurvived.Tokeepthepeace,thedayaftertheshootingsroyalauthoritiesagreedtoremovealltroopsfromthecenteroftowntoafortonCastleIslandinBostonHarbor.CaptainPrestonandthesoldierswerearrestedandscheduledfortrialinaSuffolkCountycourt.ThegovernmentwasdeterminedtogivethesoldiersafairtrialsotherecouldbenogroundsforretaliationfromtheBritishandsothatmoderateswouldnotbealienatedfromthePatriotcause.AproblemwasthatnolawyersintheBostonareawantedtodefendthesoldiers,astheybelieveditwouldbeahugecareermistake.AdesperaterequestwassenttoJohnAdamsfromPreston,pleadingforhisworkonthecase.Adams,whowasalreadyaleadingPatriotandwhowascontemplatingarunforpublicoffice,neverthelessagreedtohelp,intheinterestofensuringafairtrial.Adams,JosiahQuincyII,andRobertAuchmutyactedasthedefenseattorneys.MassachusettsSolicitorGeneralSamuelQuincyandprivateattorneyRobertTreatPaine,hiredbythetownofBoston,handledtheprosecution.Toletpassionssettle,thetrialwasdelayedformonths,unusualinthatperiod,andthejurymenwereallchosenfromtownsoutsideBoston.Triedonhisown,Prestonwasacquittedafterthejurywasnotconvincedthathehadorderedthetroopstofire.Inthetrialofthesoldiers,Adamsarguedthatifthesoldierswereendangeredbythemobtheyhadthelegalrighttofightback,andsowereinnocent.Iftheywereprovokedbutnotendangered,heargued,theywereatmostguiltyofmanslaughter.ThejuryagreedwithAdamsandacquittedsixofthesoldiers.Twoofthesoldierswerefoundguiltyofmurderbecausetherewasoverwhelmingevidencethattheyfireddirectlyintothecrowd.However,JohnAdamsusedaloopholeinBritishCommonLawandbyprovingtothejudgethattheycouldreadbyhavingthemreadfromtheBibletheircrimewasreducedtomanslaughter.Twoprivateswerefoundguiltyofmanslaughterandpunishedbybrandingontheirthumbs.Thejury'sdecisionssuggestthattheybelievedthesoldiershadfeltthreatenedbythecrowd.PatrickCarr,thefifthvictim,corroboratedthiswithadeathbedtestimonydeliveredtohisdoctor.TheBostonMassacreisoneofseveraleventsthatturnedcolonialsentimentagainstBritishrule.EachoftheseeventsfollowedapatternofBritainassertingitscontrol,andthecolonistschafingundertheincreasedregulation.EventssuchastheTeaActandtheensuingBostonTeaPartywereexamplesofthecrumbling
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relationshipbetweenBritainandthecolonies.WhileittookfiveyearsfromtheMassacretooutrightrevolution,itforeshadowedtheviolentrebelliontocome.ItalsodemonstratedhowBritishauthoritygalvanizedcolonialoppositionandprotest.Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Massacre
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