Tracy High school
Social Studies Department
US History
2016-2017
An Incident in Boston
March 5, 1770
A Question for the Jury:
“Were the British soldiers guilty of murder, or were they innocent, acting in self-defense?
Jury Deliberation Worksheet
This packet focuses on an historical event that is frequently referred to as “The Boston Massacre.” The
word massacre means a violent killing of many people. Throughout history, there has been significant
controversy over who was at fault in this incident and whether or not it was truly a massacre.
In an attempt to allow an examination of this controversy without having our thinking unfairly influenced,
or biased, by strongly suggestive language, we are instead referring to his event as “An Incident in Boston
– March 5, 1770.”
Through the activities, you will explore the historical question: Were the British soldiers guilty of
murder, or, were they innocent, acting in self-defense?
Instructions:
Use the information and evidence contained in packets 1-5 to complete each of the following tasks as you
work towards developing your verdict for this case.
A note to all jurors:
A juror has the important duty of learning the facts of a case and then using those facts to decide on the
case being tried. Therefore, it is important that each juror, in order to reach proper decision, fully and
clearly understands the facts.
This means that it is important for you to ask, as you learn about this case, for clarification on specific
vocabulary, statements, or events you do not clearly understand.
You will also practice specific disciplinary skills for historians that will support you in a meeting the
following objectives:
 Develop the skill of analyzing a visual source for historical information.
 Developing the knowledge to explain why historians need to consider multiple sources of
historical information when crafting arguments in response to historical questions.
 Developing an explanation that illustrates an understating of what historians do when “sourcing”
an historical document.
Finally, you will consider the historical thinking questions:
 What is sourcing?
 Why does it matter?
 How does sourcing impact the arguments of historians?
Juror Packet #1
An Incident in Boston on March 5, 1770 – Background Briefing
What we know about what happened?
___________________________________________________________
Before the incident 600 British soldiers had occupied Boston as a police force for two years. They
were there to enforce British tax and custom laws that had been resisted by some Boston residents
often violently. The soldiers were not welcome by the townspeople of Boston and hostility had been
growing between civilians and soldiers.
On March 5, 1770, a crowd of about 40 colonists (all men accept for one woman) confronted a squad
of eight British soldiers. The crowd threw snow balls and other objects at the soldiers, many of the
men in the crowd carried clubs. The eight soldiers loaded their muskets and formed a single line
facing the crowd.
Their commander, Captain Thomas Preston, stood in front of his soldiers and asked the crowd to go
home. But the crowd, far from drawing back, came closer, calling out, “Come on you rascals, you
bloody backs, you lobster’s scoundrels, fire if you dare, God damn you, fire and be damned, we
know you dare not,” and striking at the soldiers with clubs and a cutlass (short, broad slashing
sword).
Someone yelled “Fire!” and shots rang out. The soldiers and the crowd battled briefly. As a result of
this incident, five Bostonians would die-three that night (Samuel Gray, Crispus Attucks, and James
Caldwell) and two within a few days (Samuel Maverick and Patrick Carr). Six other Bostonians
were injured. Captain Preston and the eight soldiers were arrested for murder.
Preparations for the trial began almost immediately. Witnesses were summoned to appear before the
justices and give statements about what they saw and the British military collected witness
statements as well. A Boston lawyer, John Adams, was asked to represent Captain Preston. Adams
took the case because he believed the defendant was entitled to a lawyer. He also agreed to defend
the eight soldiers. The trial took place October 24-30 and November 27-December 5, 1770.
Additionally, many people rushed to publish, either in newspaper, letters, or illustrations, their
version of what happened that night. Colonists called this incident the Boston Massacre, but there
was great controversy about who was to blame for what happened. The controversies lasted for
many years after this incident.
Sources:
“The Boston Massacre Trails (1754-1783).” American Eras. 8 Vols. Gale Research, 19971998. Reproduced in Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale
Group. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC.
Boston Massacre Historical Society. “What Was the Boston Massacre?” Online. Internet. 2008.