The Boston Massacre
By: Anna Payne
Honors History 10
Mr. Viles

“The British are coming, the British are coming!” This famous quote by Paul Reveres midnight ride introduces many school children to the Revolutionary War. Revere had also participated in other events throughout the Revolutionary War. Revere’s engraving, “The Bloody Massacre,” caused an uproar by the citizens and caused much debate. Was this account true, or is it merely propaganda? “The Bloody Massacre” was created causing people to begin caring about the war. Were these Reveres intensions? What was the purpose of Reveres account?

The Boston Massacre took place on March 5, 1770 between the American citizens and the British troops. That evening Private Hugh White was on guard in front of the Customs House on King Street in Boston. A crowd of Boston citizens gathered in front of the solider and began harassing him. The citizens harassed this solider with insults and began throwing snowballs. Private Hugh White’s calls for help brought nine other soldiers to aid him. In all of the commotion someone yelled, fire! The soldiers began shooting resulting in the death of 3 townspeople and 8 other were wounded.


The drawing of the Boston Massacre by Paul Revere is not just a piece of art, but it is also a historical document of the events that occurred March 5, 1770. In Paul’s painting there are two groups of people in the town square. On the left side you can see the American citizens getting shot and falling to the ground. On the right side you can see the British soldiers shooting the rebels. In the background is the bell tower that reads 3:50PM, while the actual shooting occurred in the evening. There is also a church in the distance, witnessing the massacre. On the right behind the British soldiers is a sign that reads “Butcheks Hall.” Eight British soldiers are in this painting and are standing in an organized formation. This formation is in comparison to the chaos of the American citizens. You can clearly see two dead bodies and one man falling to his death. Paul Reveres engraving was seen by many of the Boston citizens causing chaos and uproar.

Paul Reveres engraving of the “Massacre,” was the first of eventually three artists to create one during that period. Paul Revere didn’t waste any time on his chance to stir up anti British settlement among his fellow colonists and to highlight British tyranny. Revere’s “Bloody Massacre” engraving is an example of propaganda that comes up short in accuracy. Documentation has come to show that Revere copied Henry Pelham’s drawings of the “Massacre.” Paul Revere then produced his own engraving and was the first with advertisements for its sale in Boston’s newspapers. By the time Pelham prints hit the streets, Reveres document had been shown throughout the city.

In Revere’s rush in producing his engraving he hired Christian Remick to colorize the print. Remicks choice of colors was simple but extremely effective. Notice in this painting the use of red for all of the British uniforms and blood. The other colors of blue, green, brown and black worked in creating one of the most famous paintings in American history.
Remick’s choice of standard colors was brilliant because it was easily supported by most normal printing presses in use at that time. By doing so Remick made the picture easy to reproduce throughout the colonies in most any newspaper.

After Paul Reveres engraving got out, the citizen’s anger towards the British soldiers intensified. However, not only the wealthy and powerful were interested in the growing tensions between Britain and the colonies. The crowd at the ‘Massacre,” was described by John Adams as “a motley rabble of saucy boys, negroes, and mulattoes, Irish teagues and outlandish jack tarrs.” An estimated 10,000, out of 16,000 people, marched in the funeral procession for the victims of the “Massacre.” The citizen’s anger, hatred and rebellious actions lead England to remove the troops from Boston to try to calm things down. Howard Zinn, A people’s History of the United States, pg 67.

Paul Reveres painting is considered by some to be propaganda. In the painting, it shows angry British soldiers shooting at the defenseless American citizens. The British look happy, like shooting the Americans is fun to them. The American citizens look weak, scared, like the British are shooting at them for no reason. The Church in the background also adds an effect. The church was present to add a form of religious blessing to the Massacre. In this Painting all of the people involved in the Massacre, were white, middle class citizens. In reality people of different races and class were at the massacre, such as black slaves and members of a lower class rope makers union and common criminals. Paul Revere swayed his painting to motivate the American citizens, involving them in the war.

When some of the common citizens viewed Paul Revere’s painting, it caused them to care; the engraving of the “Massacre,” increased their fear of the British government. The citizens saw their fellow colonists being attacked and wondered who could be next. The “Massacre” increased the colonist’s anger with the British government.
By publishing this event, Paul Revere’s print became "the first powerful influence in forming an outspoken anti-British public opinion." http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/winter96/massacre.html The citizens grew to hate the British government resulting in participation with the Revolution. The citizens grew to care what was going on. Paul Revere’s document successfully swayed how the historical events were portrayed in order to present them favorably to the American citizens. The “Bloody Massacre,” was a successful piece of propaganda whether it was intended for that purpose or not.