The Constitution and the Boston Massacre: Seeds of Revolution

The Boston Massacre stands as a pivotal moment in American history, where colonial tensions with the British Crown reached a breaking point. While the United States Constitution was not ratified until over a decade later, the events surrounding the Boston Massacre played a significant role in shaping the sentiments and ideas that would eventually lead to the birth of the nation and the drafting of its enduring constitution. This article is a story about the Boston Massacre, explore its historical context, and uncover the influence it had on the framers of the United States Constitution. By examining the events that unfolded on that fateful day in March 1770, we can gain a deeper understanding of the atmosphere that existed before the American Revolution and how it contributed to the formation of the Constitution.

Casey Adams

10/18/20234 min read

Background: Rising Tensions in Boston

The seeds of the Boston Massacre were sown in the late 1760s, as relations between the British government and its American colonies deteriorated.

The imposition of unpopular legislation, such as the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts of 1767, angered colonists who viewed these measures as unjust taxation without representation.

The Province of Massachusetts Bay, and particularly the city of Boston, became a hub of resistance, with organized boycotts and protests against British policies.

In response to these protests, the British government deployed troops to Boston in 1768 to support crown-appointed officials and enforce the laws.

The arrival of soldiers exacerbated tensions, as their presence was seen as an occupying force.

Clashes between soldiers and civilians became increasingly frequent, fueled by mutual resentment.

Bostonians, many of whom were dockworkers, sailors, and laborers, viewed the soldiers as competition for jobs and a threat to their liberties.

The Incident on King Street

On the evening of March 5, 1770, tensions reached a boiling point.

The sequence of events began with a lone British sentry, Private Hugh White, who was guarding the Customs House on King Street.

A crowd of angry civilians began to gather, hurling insults and throwing objects such as snowballs, ice, and debris at White.

As the crowd grew in size and hostility, White called for reinforcements. Captain Thomas Preston and seven additional soldiers arrived to support the sentry.

The soldiers formed a defensive line, but the situation quickly spiraled out of control.

The crowd, now numbering several hundred, continued to taunt the soldiers, throwing rocks, sticks, and other projectiles.

Amid the chaos, one soldier was struck by a club and fell. In the confusion, he discharged his musket, prompting others to open fire.

While Captain Preston maintained that he did not give the order to shoot, the soldiers’ volley caused significant casualties.

The Casualties

  • Crispus Attucks, a sailor of African and Native American descent, is widely regarded as the first person killed in the Boston Massacre and, by extension, the first martyr of the American Revolution.

  • Samuel Gray, a rope maker, and James Caldwell, a sailor, were also killed instantly.

  • Samuel Maverick, a teenager, and Patrick Carr, an Irish immigrant, succumbed to their wounds later.

  • Eight others were injured, further inflaming public outrage.

Aftermath and Immediate Reactions

The shooting shocked the city of Boston, and the news spread rapidly throughout the colonies.

Acting Governor Thomas Hutchinson, seeking to defuse the situation, promised an inquiry and ordered the British troops to withdraw to Castle Island in Boston Harbor.

The next day, a crowd gathered again, demanding justice for the victims.

Boston’s leaders, including prominent Patriots like Samuel Adams, used the incident to galvanize anti-British sentiment.

The event was soon dubbed a "massacre," a term deliberately chosen to emphasize British brutality.

Patriot Propaganda

Patriot leaders wasted no time in using the Boston Massacre to further their cause.

Paul Revere’s engraving, titled The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King Street, depicted the British soldiers firing into a defenseless crowd, with exaggerated details that portrayed the colonists as innocent victims.

This image became one of the most famous pieces of Revolutionary propaganda, widely distributed throughout the colonies.

Similarly, Samuel Adams used the incident to rally public opinion, organizing annual commemorations to ensure the memory of the massacre remained vivid in the minds of colonists.

The Trial of the Soldiers

In the wake of the massacre, eight soldiers, Captain Thomas Preston, and four civilians were arrested and charged with murder. The trial took place later in 1770, under intense public scrutiny.

In a move that demonstrated his commitment to justice, John Adams, a prominent lawyer and future U.S. president, agreed to defend the soldiers, despite the personal and professional risks involved.

Adams argued that the soldiers had acted in self-defense, provoked by a hostile and violent crowd. His defense was effective, leading to the acquittal of six soldiers.

The remaining two soldiers were convicted of manslaughter, but they avoided execution by pleading benefit of clergy, a legal practice that allowed them to receive reduced sentences.

As punishment, they were branded on the thumb.

John Adams later reflected on his decision to defend the soldiers, stating:


"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."

Historical Significance

The Boston Massacre was a turning point in the American colonies’ relationship with Great Britain.

While the death toll was relatively small, the event’s symbolic impact was enormous.

It became a rallying cry for those advocating for independence, illustrating the dangers of British military occupation and the growing divide between the colonies and the mother country.

Legacy

  1. Unified Resistance: The massacre helped unite the colonies in their opposition to British policies, strengthening the nascent revolutionary movement.

  2. Propaganda Victory: The Patriots' effective use of propaganda ensured that the Boston Massacre would be remembered as a stark example of British oppression.

  3. Prelude to Revolution: The event heightened tensions that would eventually lead to the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775, particularly after subsequent events such as the Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party.

Conclusion

The Boston Massacre stands as a pivotal moment in American history, symbolizing the escalating conflict between the colonies and Great Britain.

Though it began as a chaotic street altercation, the event took on a larger meaning through the lens of Patriot propaganda and public memory.

It exposed the fragility of British authority in the colonies and underscored the colonists' growing desire for self-determination.

Through the actions of individuals like Crispus Attucks, John Adams, and Samuel Adams, the Boston Massacre became not just a tragic episode but a critical step on the path to American independence.

Its legacy endures as a reminder of the power of public opinion, propaganda, and the enduring struggle for justice and liberty.

References:

  • Zobel, Hiller B. "The Boston Massacre." W. W. Norton & Company, 1970.

  • Maier, Pauline. "The Old Revolutionaries: Political Lives in the Age of Samuel Adams." Knopf, 1980.

  • Middlekauff, Robert. "The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789." Oxford University Press, 2005.