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In the course of our daily reporting, we often uncover unusual projects, places, or connections that don't make the final cut. Instead of keeping it to ourselves, we're pleased to share our weekly Architrivia.
Having just passed the Fourth of July, this edition of Architrivia will take a look at one of the most infamous sites of the American Revolution, that of the Boston Massacre of March 5, 1770. Known at the time as the 'Incident on King Street,' the Boston Massacre took place out front of the Custom House in central Boston. After months of escalating anti-British sentiment within the Province of Massachusetts Bay and within the American Colonies in general, five American colonists were shot and killed by a regiment of Red Coats, inciting a massive display of public outrage and civic discord. Provoked by an angry unruly mob of American civilians who had been harassing a British sentry after the recent shooting of a young boy who was caught taunting and throwing rocks at the Red Coats a few days prior, a group of British soldiers opened fire into the crowd, killing five and wounding nine others.
While eyewitness accounts were speculative at best, the case for British vilification among Bostonians hit a fever pitch, especially when the soldiers involved were given minimal sentences, which ignited a citywide furor that soon spread to the rest of the Thirteen Colonies. The event was quickly sensationalized in local papers, aided in large part by the efforts of American Patriot Paul Revere, whose iconic engraving — reproduced and sold by the thousands — served to fan the flames of unrest and was viewed by many as the spark that ignited the American Revolution.
Seen in the image above, the site of the Boston Massacre has become a popular tourist destination. The Old State House, which is also featured in the original 1770 Paul Revere engraving, served as the seat of British colonial government from 1713 to 1776. The historic structure today is but one of the many stops along the 'Freedom Trail' in Boston, a red-emblazoned trail found on the streets of the historic city centre, which serves as a guide for those interested in exploring the living legacy of the American Revolution. While modern historians continue to debate the significance of the Boston Massacre, either as a justified act of self-defense in the face of an unruly American mob or as a blatant example of British tyranny, the majority agree that its impact upon the course of early American history ought not be overlooked.
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