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Engraving "The Bloody Massacre perpetrated on King Street, Boston on March 5th, 1770"
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Summary and Objective
Students will understand that art can be used as a form of propaganda to promote a cause. Students will have a deeper understanding of the events that led up to the Revolutionary War through observing art work that depicts one perspective on the Boston Massacre. In their study of the political, economic, and social issues at the time the Boston Massacre took place, they will see how artwork was used as propaganda to promote the patriot cause.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
Students will have had previous instruction on the events leading up to the Boston Massacre and why the incident took place. They will have already discussed the political, economic, and social struggles occurring at this time.
Step 2.
Students will be divided into small groups. Each group will be given a copy of the picture "Bloody Boston Massacre of 1770," by Paul Revere, which can be accessed from the digital collection of the American Centuries Website.
Step 3.
In small groups students will be asked to discuss, then answer in a larger group setting, the following questions: 1) What is your impression of this picture? 2) Is it easy to differentiate between the British and the Colonists? 3) If you were a colonist and were not at the scene of the Boston Massacre, what would you have thought about this incident just from seeing this picture? 4) From whose perspective, or point of view, is the Boston Massacre being shown? 5) Why was this an important piece of propaganda at the time? 6) Why would it have angered some colonists to go against King George of England?
Step 4.
The students have a large group discussion on these questions.
Step 5.
As an additional activity, students can go to the link listed below and read the original Boston Gazette account of the Massacre. Compare this account with the Paul Revere engraving.
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