The Boston Massacre 1. How did the British soldiers respond to this treatment? Why do you think this could be considered controversial?

2. The Boston Massacre was the first press controversy in American history. How did patriot forces use the incident to gain support for their cause?

3. What did the Sons of Liberty use the incident as an excuse for?

4. Which founding fathers began making names for themselves during this time?

5. How are the British forces portrayed in this image? How are the colonists portrayed?

6. If you were a colonist living during this time, how would you feel towards the British if you saw this image?

7. How does the coverage of the Boston Massacre compare to stories of police brutality in America today?

Boston Massacre Vocabulary
A. Massacre: A widespread, planned execution, killing, or murder of a large group of people.

B. Customs agent: an official of the British government whose job it was to collect taxes from the colonists.

C. Patriot: a colonist who was no longer loyal to the British government and wanted America to be its own country with its own government.

D. Sons of Liberty: a group of patriots who operated during the 1770’s and worked to weaken the control of the British government in the colonies through protest and smuggling.