This source is a cartoon depiction of the Boston Massacre1. The Boston Massacre was a riot involving British soldiers and Boston citizens, five of which were killed, Crispus Attucks, Samuel Gray, Samuel Maverick, James Caldwell, and Patrick Carr. The event portrays British military violence against colonists. Among the men killed, Crispus Attucks, a man of African and Native American descent, became a significant symbol in African American history. The source is a painting by Paul Revere that depicts the “Boston Massacre”, which occurred on March 5th, 1770. The image shows British soldiers firing into a crowd of civilians. It illustrates the political and social tensions in the American colonies, especially in Boston, where the British’s military …show more content…
The massacre took place on what was formerly known as King Street in Boston, in front of key colonial buildings, such as the Custom House and the First Church. The Custom House even has a sign that reads “Butcher’s Hall” suggesting the public perception of the British soldiers as violent and oppressive occupiers. Paul Revere, an influential figure in the American Revolution, made this painting to spur colonial outrage against British authority. The depiction of the unarmed civilians being shot at by the soldiers was intended to rally support for the colonial cause by emphasizing the British’s cruelty, and portraying the colonists as victims. This depiction is crucial to recognize as it was used as propaganda to spread the call to action against the British Monarchy. The Boston Massacre was a tipping point for revolutionaries, and this cartoon is one depiction of what the general public was seeing at the time. In a broader sense, the painting illustrates the growing gap between the colonies and the British government as tensions rose. The inability to accommodate colonial grievances with British imperial policies eventually led to the Declaration of Independence in