THE BOSTON MASSACRE

THE THE

BOSTON BOSTON MASSACREMASSACRE

An Example ofAn Example of

Historical PropagandaHistorical Propaganda

What is a massacre?What is a massacre?

The dictionary defines a “massacre” The dictionary defines a “massacre” as:as:

The act or an instance of killing a The act or an instance of killing a large number of humans large number of humans indiscriminately and cruelly. indiscriminately and cruelly.

What was What was the Boston the Boston Massacre?Massacre?

Here is a Here is a drawing of drawing of the massacre the massacre –as drawn by –as drawn by Paul ReverePaul Revere

The Colonial The Colonial PerspectivePerspective

Take another look Take another look at the engraving:at the engraving:

Can you find the Can you find the British?British?

Can you find the Can you find the Colonists?Colonists?

Who has the guns?Who has the guns? Which group is dying?Which group is dying? Who is at fault?Who is at fault? Who is innocent?Who is innocent? How do you know?How do you know?

Why did Paul Revere create Why did Paul Revere create this picture?this picture?

Who does he want Who does he want you to think are you to think are the bad guys?the bad guys?

Who does he want Who does he want you to think are you to think are the good guys?the good guys?

How did he do this?How did he do this?

Is this the true story?Is this the true story?

What do you think?What do you think?

So what really happened?So what really happened?

It was 8 o’clock at night on Monday, March 5, 1770. Private Hugh White stood guard at the Custom House on King Street in Boston.


A British officer, a captain, walked by the sentry post where Private White was standing guard. A teenager by the name of Edward Garrick, a helper in a barber shop, yelled to the captain that he had not paid his barber bill. He was ignored by the captain but not by Private White.


Private White left his post and told Edward Garrick that the captain was a gentleman and paid all of his bills. Garrick responded that there were no gentlemen in the British Army. Private White hit Edward Garrick with the butt of his rifle.


Garrick returned with other teenage men. They began to taunt Private White. Garrick shouted, “Lousy rascal!” and “. . . rascally scoundrel lobster!” The other teenagers joined in the shouting. Men from the docks heard the shouting and gathered around. There were now at least 50 men surrounding Private White. As the crowd grew the shouting continued, “Kill the soldier!” “Kill the . . . coward, kill him, knock him down!”

So what really happened?So what really happened? The crowd made snowballs

with stones and jagged-edged clamshells inside. Private White climbed the Customs House steps trying to get away from the mob. No one was inside, so he shouted “Turn out the main guard!” Seven soldiers in the barracks nearby, led by Captain Thomas Pearson, came running to the Customs House.


The commotion was heard by men in a nearby tavern where sailors had gathered. A black dock worker by the name of Crispus Attucks left the tavern with 30 sailors - each armed with a club.


The group of sailors from the tavern and the group of soldiers from the barracks reached Private White at about the same time. The soldiers joined Private White and faced the crowd, which was now made up of over 300 people. The crowd yelled at the soldiers, “Why do you not fire? . . . you dare not fire!” This wasn’t bravery. The crowd knew that the soldiers could not shoot unless ordered to by the civilian government. If they did they could be hanged.


Captain Preston tried to reason with the crowd. Crispus Attucks hit him in the arm with his club. Attucks hit another soldier over the head knocking him to the ground.

The crowd continued to become more and more threatening. The taunting and shouting continued. “Kill the lobsters!” “Kill them!”


The soldiers, out of fear for their lives, fired their guns. It was not under order, and it was not coordinated. Five men were dead or dying. Crispus Attucks was dead-shot twice.

So, now that you know the So, now that you know the facts:facts:

Is Paul Revere’s Is Paul Revere’s drawing drawing accurate? accurate?

Does it agree Does it agree with the facts?with the facts?

Why or why Why or why not?not?

We call this:We call this:PROPAGANDAPROPAGANDA

Material disseminated by the Material disseminated by the advocates or opponents of a doctrine advocates or opponents of a doctrine or cause or cause

That’s a mouthful – what does it That’s a mouthful – what does it really mean?really mean?

PROPAGANDAPROPAGANDA

Using communication techniques to Using communication techniques to create an emotion. This emotion is create an emotion. This emotion is meant to make you feel a certain meant to make you feel a certain way about someone or something.way about someone or something.

Propaganda TechniquesPropaganda Techniques

There are many different techniques There are many different techniques that people use to make you feel that people use to make you feel different emotions.different emotions.

Here are some of the more common Here are some of the more common techniques that you will see in techniques that you will see in advertisements:advertisements:

Glittering GeneralitiesGlittering Generalities Using “virtue” Using “virtue”

words. It is the words. It is the opposite of name opposite of name calling. These ads calling. These ads link a person or an link a person or an idea to a positive idea to a positive symbol.symbol.

What are the What are the positive symbols in positive symbols in this example?this example?

TestimonialTestimonial

A public figure or A public figure or celebrity promotes celebrity promotes or endorses a or endorses a product or policy.product or policy.

Who is the Who is the celebrity?celebrity?

What is he What is he endorsing?endorsing?

Plain FolksPlain Folks An attempt to convince the audience that a prominent An attempt to convince the audience that a prominent

person and his ideas are “of the people”.person and his ideas are “of the people”.

Who is the prominent person? How is he “of the people”?Who is the prominent person? How is he “of the people”?

BandwagonBandwagon

Tells you that Tells you that everyone else is everyone else is doing it and so doing it and so should you.should you.

Can you think of any Can you think of any other bandwagon other bandwagon advertisements you advertisements you have seen?have seen?

FearFear Plays on the fears of Plays on the fears of

the audience. Warns the audience. Warns them that disaster will them that disaster will result if they do not result if they do not follow a particular follow a particular course of action.course of action.

This is an ad from This is an ad from World War II.World War II.

Who are we supposed Who are we supposed to fear?to fear?

What should we do?What should we do?

HumorHumor

Get the right diapers! Stay

dry!

Common Propaganda Common Propaganda TechniquesTechniques

Glittering GeneralitiesGlittering Generalities TestimonialTestimonial Plain FolksPlain Folks BandwagonBandwagon FearFear HumorHumor

Which technique did Which technique did Paul Revere use?Paul Revere use?

Glittering Glittering GeneralitiesGeneralities

TestimonialTestimonial Plain FolksPlain Folks BandwagonBandwagon FearFear HumorHumor

What was his purpose?What was his purpose?

THE BOSTON MASSACRE

Documents

private hugh white

group of soldiers

captain preston

group of sailors

captain thomas pearson

crispus attucks

nearby tavern

teenage men