Was Boston massacre really a massacre?

Answer 1

The Boston Massacre was not really a massacre. It was a riot turned out of control. Less than 10 British soldiers who were trying to uphold the law were surrounded by a mob of angry colonists who were taunting them and throwing things at them. They were surrounded and a shot was fired. Who fired the first shot is unknown. In total five, only five people died.

It was called a massacre by anti-British colonists and used as Propaganda. John Adams, one of the founding fathers, defended the soldiers in trial and said doing so was, "one of the most gallant, generous, manly, and disinterested actions of my whole life, and one of the best pieces of service I ever rendered my country."

Sources: http://www.bostonmassacre.net/alternative.htm

http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/usa/BostonMassacre.html

http://americanhistory.about.com/od/revolutionarywar/a/boston_massacre.htm

http://www.faulkner.edu/academics/artsandsciences/socialandbehavioral/readings/hy/boston.aspx

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/bostonmassacre/keyfigures.html

Answer 2

Yes. On March 5, 1770 a Captain Preston led a group of soldiers to the aid of a lone sentry facing a hostile crowd of beligerent colonists outside the Custom House. It is not known exactly what transpired but there was a melee during which shots were fired by the British; leaving several colonists wounded and five dead.

Answer 3

The Boston massacre wasn't a massacre because a massacre is when Innocent people die. But this happened because around 400 people were throwing snowballs and chunks of ice at some soldiers. basically, the soldiers got mad and shot into the mob. It got it's name because people then hated the British , and wanted even more people to hat them so instead of telling the truth, people said soldiers shot into a crowd of peaceful people, known as the Boston massacre.

Answer 4

No, the term Battle assumes that there are two groups of armed participants, usually armed forces units, who are attempting to achieve strategic and tactical goals through warfare. The Boston Massacre was merely a tax protest that turned ugly and ended shooting.

Answer 5

A crowd of people threw stones and snowballs at the soldiers

Answer 6

No!!! Only 5 people died. It was the American's fault. We were causing a fight and the British troops thought they heard fire and shot into the crowd. But, it was definitely NOT a massacre.

Answer 7

No, only five people died and the british were not ordered to fire

Answer 8

More or less. It wasn't a planned event as some parts of the fable tell. The smugglers of Dutch tea decided to dump the tea because the tea tax would LOWER the cost of the British tea.