The American Revolution is one of the most widely covered and well-known events in American history. Starting with small conflicts and discontent, the sparks have ignited the flame of retribution against the oppressive British rule. As a result of the events that transpired in the 1760s, the colonists have gained independence and established the United States of America. Many events have played part in the American Revolution, but one of them can be highlighted in particular. The Boston Massacre was one of the inciting incidents for America gaining its independence. Occurring as a result of building tension, the riot on King street has been an important event in American history. The enforcement of unfair taxes and restricting laws on the American colonists has enraged the people, who have come to appreciate the value of freedom and were ready to fight for it. The Boston Massacre has served as a unifying factor, working as an effective catalyst for the subsequent events. Interpretations of the event by the contemporary news sources have played a major part in shaping the American sentiment towards the massacre.
The reasons for the start of the Boston Massacre itself are complex and warrant a discussion. People of that time, Boston Americans in particular, regarded the event as a natural consequence of the strict control Britain exuded onto them. The Governor of Boston has previously requested British troops to keep order and collect taxes. Representatives of the elected assembly thought that the soldiers had no right to collect tax and were largely unnecessary (Allison). The presence of the troops further raised the tense atmosphere and wasted the city’s resources (Allison). An increasing amount of conflicts between the patriotic colonists and loyalists have led to increased violence, including fights and vandalism. The situation has peaked in march of 1770 when a fight between a single soldier and a group of colonists has escalated into a shootout. The British soldiers have shot and killed five colonists, fueling the anti-monarchic views in America. Many figures covering the incident have considered the Massacre as an inevitable resolution to the British oppression. The only suitable way to end the escalating conflict, for Boston leaders, would be to fully remove the British influence from America.
The massacre was widely covered by the news, starting a wave of anti-British sentiments. It has shown many Americans that their newfound values are incompatible with the strict regime of the British empire. The opinions were mixed, with some newspapers exaggerating the events, and some downplaying them. In the states where the latter occurred, more and more people were convinced the Americans should exist as a separate nation. Researcher Robert W. Smith stresses that the news outlets of the time principally portrayed the event as an inevitable consequence of sending troops to Boston. The media-promoted stance was that the presence of soldiers in the time of peace was inherently threatening to the lives and well-being of Americans (Smith). Boston Massacre was widely used by the Whig party to garner support against Britain. By using the events of 1770 as propaganda, the Whigs has created a narrative that was suitable for overthrowing the British rule.
Works Cited
Allison, Robert J. The Boston Massacre. Commonwealth Editions, 2006.
Smith, Robert W. “What Came After?: News Diffusion and Significance of the Boston Massacre, 1770–1775.” Journalism History, vol. 3, no. 3, 1976, pp. 71–85.