Boston Massacre
Unprovoked Attack
One thing people have a right to do is respond to an attack against them that might put them in risk of physical harm. It has been shown that the British were being attacked and put in a situation that if they did not respond to could lead to their deaths. However, who really started the fight that lead to the Boston Massacre? Once again, American bias has led many modern-day Americans to believe that it was Captain Preston and his British soldiers taunting colonists, or making despising comments. However, this can be proven false. Taken from a primary source document, we see that it was again the unruly colonists that are the cause of the conflict, “the rope-makers insultingly asked them if they would empty a vault. This unfortunately had the desired effect by provoking the soldiers, and from words they went to blows. Both parties suffered in this afftay, and finally the soldiers retired to their quarters. The officers, on the first knowledge of this transaction, took every precaution in their power to prevent any ill consequence. Notwithstanding which, single quarrels could not be prevented, the inhabitants constantly provoking and abusing the soldiery. The insolence as well as utter hatred of the inhabitants to the troops increased daily, insomuch that Monday and Tuesday, the 5th and 6th instant, were privately agreed on for a general engagement, in consequence of which several of the militia came from the country armed to join their friends, menacing to destroy any who should oppose them. This plan has since been discovered”.
One thing people have a right to do is respond to an attack against them that might put them in risk of physical harm. It has been shown that the British were being attacked and put in a situation that if they did not respond to could lead to their deaths. However, who really started the fight that lead to the Boston Massacre? Once again, American bias has led many modern-day Americans to believe that it was Captain Preston and his British soldiers taunting colonists, or making despising comments. However, this can be proven false. Taken from a primary source document, we see that it was again the unruly colonists that are the cause of the conflict, “the rope-makers insultingly asked them if they would empty a vault. This unfortunately had the desired effect by provoking the soldiers, and from words they went to blows. Both parties suffered in this afftay, and finally the soldiers retired to their quarters. The officers, on the first knowledge of this transaction, took every precaution in their power to prevent any ill consequence. Notwithstanding which, single quarrels could not be prevented, the inhabitants constantly provoking and abusing the soldiery. The insolence as well as utter hatred of the inhabitants to the troops increased daily, insomuch that Monday and Tuesday, the 5th and 6th instant, were privately agreed on for a general engagement, in consequence of which several of the militia came from the country armed to join their friends, menacing to destroy any who should oppose them. This plan has since been discovered”.