Boston Massacre Is Often Described

¶ … Boston Massacre is often described as the first shot on what would eventually become American soil, as the 'shot head around the world'. This shot, the result of heightened tensions between the colonists and the British Empire, would result in establishing the stage for the beginning of the American Revolution. "One of the most celebrated events in the story of American independence unfolded in Boston on a wintry March night in 1770, when a small contingent of British soldiers fired on a boisterous crowd. Their musket fire killed five men and wounded six. (Archer, 2010)

By the year 1754 CE, the American colonies consisted of Massachusetts (currently Maine), New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia

. "By 1760, the 13 colonies had a population of more than 1.5 million people. About 500,000 of these people were slaves." (Ready, 2005) Therefore, it is important to note the relatively large African-American population in the colonies at this time. Approximately 1/3 of the colonist population were African-Americans at this time.

A compilation of issues were responsible for setting the stage for an event like the Boston Massacre occur. The British were increasing taxes on imports on tea and sugar an restricting colonist imports as well. Further boycotts of British goods annoyed England as this attempt for Bostonians to gain a voice in Parliament was an act of defiance. Further tensions were created when Governor Bernard decided to leave to England to obtain further support from British armed forces to assist in preventing any uprisings against Americans, whom referred to themselves as the 'sons of liberty'. "Governor Bernard left for England, determined to call for more British force in Boston, as the Sons of Liberty stepped up their campaign of intimidation in 1769." (Allison, 2006)

Additionally, the Governor's Council did not wish to enable such a large military presence in the colonies during non-war periods. "The people of this and some of the neighboring towns were so exasperated and incensed on account of the inhumane & barbarous destruction of a number of the Inhabitants by the Troops that they apprehended imminent danger of further bloodshed, unless the Troops were forthwith removed from the body of the Town, which in their opinion was the only method to prevent it." (Allison, 2006) in 1770, the colonists and the British Empire were discontent with the motives and actions of each other, which prompted the British to order an additional 2,000 military troops to Boston to enforce the new tax laws and prevent dissention of British authority.

However, logistical movement to move the troops out of the area proved difficult. Colonel Dalrymple needed to engage and receive permission from General Gage before moving troops to another destination outside of Boston. The level of violence and tension, a function in the British passing of the Stamp Act and other taxes and tariffs on the American colonists, created an atmosphere of British control and dominance over the rather autonomous affairs of the colonists. "Bostonians James Otis and Samuel Adams earned reputations as two of America's leading rebels. Otis popularized the saying "Taxation without representation is tyranny!" (Fradin, 2009) These taxes forced the occupation of additional British troops (2000) to support quell any violence should it erupt. The colonist residential population of Boston were angry at the supposed occupation of their city and very upset at the forced inspection of their goods in transit. Additionally, violence on its citizenry by British soldiers facilitated an atmosphere of distrusting the British occupation as "soldiers struck Bostonians with fists, bayonets, and whatever weapon was at hand." (Archer, 2010)

The movement and freedom of the colonists ostensibly became evermore limited with the passing of time, the adoption of an increasing burden of taxes, and the bullying and uncouth behavior of British soldiers against male and female colonists in Boston. Just a few years prior to the Boston Massacre, further military action from the British Empire included the passing of the Quartering Act, which enabled the empire to send a number of troops to the new world. This reinforcement of British troops, in light of the growing hostility and the ever-increasing taxes on the colonists, inevitably established a stage for future violence should the soldiers and colonists meet in a contested battle.

There are many accounts as to what actually happened that night in 1770, however, what is clear is the death of a handful of colonists and the eventful war that resulted from the act of violence would forever change the history of separated colonists into forming America and the history of the British Empire. One account describes that on a Monday night at about 8 pm two soldiers were accosted and attacked violently. At this point the town alarm bells were rung to denote a fire in the vicinity, and therefore alerted all colonists in the immediate vicinity to take notice of events as they were happening.

"About 9 some of the guard came to and informed me the town inhabitants were assembling to attach the troops, and that the bells were ringing as the signal for that purpose and not for fire, and the beacon intended to be fired to bring in the distant people of the country." (Thomas, 2009) Prior to this incident, a warning signal was ostensibly used to contact additional colonists to respond to what may have been a preconceived plan to launch a surprise attack on British soldiers in the area. A level of animosity from the colonists and directed at the occupying British soldiers continued to develop and grow into a level of hatred against the occupying Empire. Additionally, prior to the massacre, some accounts tell of colonists provoking the soldiers and instigating the hatred by verbal and physical altercations with the troops. "This, as I was captain of the day, occasioned my repairing immediately to the main guard. In my way there I saw the people in great commotion, and heard them use the most cruel and horrid threats against the troops." (Thomas, 2009)

A level of premeditation in planning and attacking the British troops appears to have occurred as an attempt to thwart continuing hostility and economic oppression perpetuated by the British Parliament on the colonists. "On Monday evening the 5th current, a few minutes after 9 o'clock a most horrid murder was committed in King Street before the Customhouse door by 8 or 9 soldiers under the command of Captain Thomas Preston, drawn off from the main guard on the south side of the Townhouse." (Tudor, 2009) However, the actual violence has been described to have commenced by young boys throwing snow balls at British sentry commanded to serve. In response to the snow ball attack, additional troops were summoned to the location by their Captain and commanded the soldiers to ire into a crowd of people, killing 3 men and mortally wounded several others, one of which died the following morning.