loyalists | The Boston Massacre

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LOYALISTS PERSPCTIVE

The loyalist perspective, or the British, showcases a firsthand account that explores what went down the night of the Boston Massacre. This document gives a negative outlook of the Patriots— Bostonians were the ones who started the conflict by provoking the British to shoot. Colonists grew more determined to break away from the wrath of the British and their unjustified taxes— no taxation without representation. Colonists had enough of Britain's tyrannical rule, and they were willing to do whatever it takes, even if that means resorting to violence.

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Bufford, J. H. “Boston Massacre, March 5th, 1770.” TeachUSHistory.org, 1770

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“The Boston Massacre” Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers - Historic Newspapers

This account of the Boston Massacre is biased, since it’s a primary source from the British perspective, Hughes portrays the revolting colonists as the enemy and the “bad guys”. In extreme fetal, it’s described the atrocity of the Patriots. Regardless of who proved the fight, the main argument the British had was that it was self-defense; claims were made that they were poked and prodded to the point where they had no choice but to fire.

Peter Oliver, a Bostonian born from a Loyalist family during the Revolution, was one of the three judges on the bench for the Boston Massacre trials. Although Oliver’s conduct in the trials was generally recognized as fair, he was very outspoken about his declared loyalty to Britain as the Revolution approached. Oliver summarized the events of the Boston Massacre that made it clear that the mob provoked the soldiers. Ultimately, Captain Thomas Preston and the soldiers were acquitted of the charge of murder— only two soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter. Protests of the early 1770s further incensed colonists, who were already weary of British rule and unfair taxation aroused them to fight for independence. The Boston Massacre demonstrated to the colonists that British troops would resort to violence to restore order in the colonies.

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“Massachusetts Historical Society. Founded 1791.” Massachusetts Historical Society

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