Summary Of The Bloody Massacre In King Street

Paul Revere’s “The Bloody Massacre in King-Street, March 5, 1770.” is a painting of the Boston Massacre that still represents the bloody event today. However, is this depiction an observation of oppression or propaganda with a platform? The painting depicts the British Red Coats firing on the civilians of Boston as if it were a battlefield with the citizens pleading for mercy. On the contrary, according to History.com, “A squad of British soldiers, come to support a sentry who was being pressed by a heckling, snowballing crowd, let loose a volley of shots. Three persons were killed immediately and two died later of their wounds; among the victims was Crispus Attucks, a man of black or Indian parentage.” Since this gruesome event was one of

The citizens have an expression of horror and fear and the British Red Coats seem to wear a sadistic smile. The appalled and panic-stricken faces of the civilians amplify the sense of evil and further demonizes the soldiers. These ruthless smiles convey to the audience that the soldiers delight in inflicting pain on the public and would gladly repeat the offense. However, the innocence of the civilians displayed by the painting is deceiving. US History.org states, “In the heat of the confusing melee, the British fired without Captain Thomas Preston's command.” This means that the rioting people of Boston created such chaos, that it threatened the soldiers, who then acted in self-defense. Even though, “The British officer in charge, Capt. Thomas Preston, was arrested for manslaughter, along with eight of his men; all were later acquitted,” states History.com. This reveals another untruth within the painting because Captain Preston did not order his soldiers to fire. On the right edge of the artwork, there is a Red Coat officer with a sword clearly commanding the soldier to fire. Revere also must have added this detail to ensure that his audience thought of this occurrence as a purposeful and planned show of

This too is strategic. The building in the center of the painting seems to either be or resemble a Catholic church. With its distinctive high spire and elaborately designed architecture, the similarities are clear. Not only is the fact that a bloody massacre ensuing in front of a church unsettling, but the Catholic church also holds a symbolic purpose. Since Catholicism was the main religion of Europe, the inclusion of the Catholic church emphasizes the similarities between the British and the colonists. As Professor Brunsman stated in lecture, “The colonies had become more British than Britain.” This creates a sense of Christian on Christian homicide. At the time, the British and the colonists had finished fighting the French-Indian War. By placing the church in the center of the painting, Revere was conveying that, the soldiers who once protected the colonists now murder them in the streets. Undoubtedly Revere’s audience felt betrayed and cornered by the British and viewed rebellion as a valid option. Another example of this would be that a dog is placed between the soldiers and civilians as well. Since the soldiers are sparing the dog, “Perhaps P.R. meant it as a symbol of the British Soldiers treating colonists worse than dogs?” writes the Paul Revere Heritage Project. Revere in this artwork is attempting to manipulate the emotions of his audience as much as possible to encourage counteraction against the