Boston Massacre Revisited

Boston Massacre Revisited

Central Question: What happened in Boston on March 5, 1770? Who was responsible?
ASSIGNMENT: MOVIE MADNESS
(Part A) Storyboard, 15pts
Imagine you were going to make a movie about a specific person or event in history. Before filming a movie a director first makes a storyboard which maps out the story on paper which is called a storyboard. You will be making a storyboard (not a movie!).
1. Your movie addresses the central question using only the background reading from the textbook and the two given primary sources.
2. Create a FIVE part storyboard. For each of the five boards:  Each part must have a written description of the place, time and people involved.  It also must summarize the action in the scene in a paragraph.  Each part must also have a drawing which represents what you would be seeing if this scene were filmed.
4. Make sure your storyboard is so clear that anyone could follow the directions to create your movie.
Remember, you have five scenes to complete and they should be in the order that they would be in a real movie about the subject. Be imaginative! (Above) is an example from a world history project on ancient Rome.
(Part B) Movie Poster, 5pts
Imagine this unit had been made into a Hollywood produced movie. Design the movie poster that you would use to advertise the movie and write a critique of the movie.
1. Draw and color your poster on a full page  You may do this digitally using any service or application you choose; or  You may do this physically on plain white paper and take a picture to upload with your submission
2. Your movie poster should include:  An image or scene that represents the unit.  A made-up title that makes the unit sound exciting.  The actors in the movie and the characters they would be playing.
HIS 121-40 Online/Blackboard Lecture/3 credits Virginia Highlands Community College
Document A: Thomas Preston The Case of Capt. Preston of the 29th Regiment, Public Advertiser (London), April 28, 1770.
Captain Thomas Preston was an officer in the British army. While in jail, he wrote this narrative. A British tax collector brought this account to London on a ship that left Boston on March 16, 1770. The account was then reprinted in Boston newspapers in June 1770 after copies of the London newspaper were brought to Boston. — — — — — — — — — At about 9 some of the guards informed me that people were gathering to attack the troops. On my way there, I heard the crowd threaten the troops. About 100 people went towards the Custom House where the king’s money is kept. They immediately surrounded the soldier there and threatened him. I was told that they were going to carry off the soldier and probably murder him. I immediately sent an officer and 12 men to protect both the soldier and the king’s money. I followed them to prevent, if possible, any problems. I feared that the officer and soldiers might be provoked by the insults of the rioters. I told the troops to go out without loading their weapons and I never gave orders to load them.
The mob still increased, striking their clubs together, and calling out, “Come on you rascals, you bloody backs, you lobster scoundrels, fire if you dare.” At this time I was between the soldiers and the mob, trying to persuade them to leave peacefully. Someone asked me if I was going to order the men to fire. I answered no, saying that I was in front of the guns, and would be shot if they fired. While I was speaking, one of the soldiers was hit with a stick, stepped a little to one side, and instantly fired. When I turned to ask him why he fired without orders, I was struck with a club on my arm.
The soldiers were attacked by a great number of heavy clubs and snowballs were thrown at them. All our lives were in danger. At the same time, someone from behind called out, “Damn your bloods — why don’t you fire?” Instantly three or four of the soldiers fired and then three more fired in the same confusion. The mob then ran away, except three unhappy men who instantly died. When I asked the soldiers why they fired without orders, they said they heard the word fire and thought it came from me. This might be the case as many of the mob called out fire, but I told the men that I gave no such order. My words were, don’t fire, stop your firing.
Document B: Samuel Drowne Summary of the sworn testimony of Samuel Drowne, March 16, 1770.
On March 12, 1770, Boston residents held a town meeting, which was how local government decisions were made. At the meeting, the colonists appointed a committee to produce an account of what happened March 5th to send to officials in London because they wanted to influence the way the events of March 5th were portrayed. Drowne was one of 96 residents of Boston to give sworn testimony to justices of the peace about what happened between the British soldiers and residents of Boston. These accounts were taken by ship to London on April 1, 1770. — — — — — — — — Samuel Drowne of Boston, of lawful age, testified that about nine o’clock of the evening of the fifth day of March he saw about 14 or 15 soldiers of the 29th regiment, some were armed with swords or bayonets, others with clubs or fire-shovels. They came upon the people of the town and abused some and violently assaulted others. Most of the townspeople did not even have a stick in their hands to defend themselves.
Most of the soldiers went to King Street. Drowne followed them, and saw them fighting with people there. Drowne thought that there were no more than a dozen people there. When the soldiers arrived, most of the people left. Some of them were first assaulted by the soldiers. Then the soldiers went towards the main guard house. At the same time, five soldiers and a corporal armed with guns came out of the guard