How Did The Boston Massacre Contribute To The Rise Of Colonial America

Title The Revolutionary War period transcends far beyond a singular beginning. The American Revolution represents a change in mindset– a catalyst for political growth– and is symbolic of America's national identity. During the course of fighting a revolution against the world renowned empire Great Britain, American colonists gained new understandings and assumptions about the processes and organizations of government. From events such as the British imposition of the Stamp Act to the winter military campaigns in Valley Forge, there is a gradual transition in how American colonists view participation in government, and later democracy. The revolution presents historians with a timeline of how Americans consistently interact with varying degrees

Events like the Boston Massacre and the publication of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense occurred in the midst of political protest, further contributing to the Americans’ growing acceptance towards republican ideas of independence and government formation. The Boston Massacre of 1770 was “a chaotic and unplanned event” where British soldiers open fire into a crowd of Bostonians, killing five working-class people. The massacre played a crucial role in inspiring republican ideals in the colonies by “galvanizing Boston and the colonies against the mother country.” When brought to trial, the British argued that “mob rallies had taunted them into shooting,” and “weapons [were] concealed under their clothes,” further severing the narrative that depicted British authority as tyrannical and oppressive. The incident served as a vivid illustration and underscored the colonists’ commitment towards defending their rights and liberties against the crown’s oppressive rule. Republican radicals started using the Boston Massacre as propaganda to mobilize public sentiment against British authority, and inspired support for the revolutionary

Common Sense by Thomas Paine played arguably the most significant role in inspiring active participation in the revolution. Its popularity was largely due to its passionate, straightforward style that spoke to the average colonist’s ideals. Paine was relatively poor, strikingly intelligent, and quite possibly the embodiment of every attribute of what later became the standard of national American identity. After the second continental congress meeting in 1775, the colonists were acting under the assumption that they were trying to force parliament into accepting their grievances and actively working towards rebalance. The initial mindset of the second continental congress was that the relationship between Britain and the colonies needed fixing, not abandonment- but after King George III refused reconciliation with the Olive Branch Petition in July of 1775 and sent mercenaries to attack his own colonies, Thomas Paine set the scene just six months later with Common