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The Boston Massacre
Newsgroups: freenet.shrine.songs
From: aa300 (Jerry Murphy)
Subject: The Boston Massacre
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 90 15:37:25 EST
BOSTON MASSACRE
The Boston Massacre--the killing of five men by British soldiers on Mar. 5,
1770--was the culmination of civilian-military tensions that had been growing
since royal troops first appeared in Massachusetts in October 1768. The soldiers
were in Boston to keep order, but townspeople viewed them as potential oppres-
sors, competitors for jobs, and threats to social mores. Brawls became common.
Finally, a squad led by Capt. Thomas Preston fired into an unruly crowd in front
of the Customs House, killing three men outright and mortally wounding two
others.
All troops were immediately withdrawn from town. John Adams defended the
soldiers at their trials (Oct. 24-30 and Nov. 27-Dec. 5, 1770); Preston and four
men were acquitted, while two soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter and
released after being branded on the hand. The massacre served as anti-British
propaganda for Boston radicals and elsewhere heightened American fears of
standing armies.
LARRY R. GERLACH
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Zobel, Hiller B., The Boston Massacre (1970).
'Copyright 1987, Grolier Inc, Academic American Encyclopedia,
Electronic Version'
USED BY PERMISSION, granted January 9, 1988
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