Social Studies Essay Sooyeon Kim 8C

Essay Statement: The verdict was accurate. As a result of the Boston Massacre, the British soldiers were accused of manslaughter rather than murder. The definition of manslaughter is the crime of killing a human being without malice aforethought, or otherwise in circumstances not amounting to murder. There are two reasons for why this verdict was accurate. First, the British soldiers were acting on behalf of their self-defense. According to a passage in the book A History of U.S by Joy Hakim, ..a noisy, jeering group of mischief makers gathered in front of the Boston Custom House. They began pushing and shoving and throwing stones and pieces of ice at the British sentry.... Captain Preston came to the rescue with eight British soldiers... Then a British soldier was hit with a big stick. The British soldiers had to act and do something to defend themselves; they couldnt just stand there and wait until they got beaten up. The soldiers had acted upon their self-defense because of the colonists attack. According to Captain Preston, he says that, The mob still increased and were more outrageous, striking their clubs or bludgeons one against another, and calling out come on you rascals, you bloody backs... fire if you dare... and much more such language was used. Captain Prestons account may have been biased, because he couldve seen the happening as much worse then what actually happened (since he was part of the group that was getting taunted and attacked). Even so, it was manslaughter that happened, because they were trying to defend themselves from the cruel act.

Second, the British soldiers thought that Captain Preston ordered them to fire. It was actually a misunderstanding, because the colonists were the ones who shouted at the soldiers and dared them to fire. According to A History of U.S by Joy Hakim, The mob is said to have taunted the redcoats, yelling Fire! Fire! Captain Preston is said to have yelled, Hold your fire! Then a British soldier was hit with a big stick. He claimed he heard the word fire, so he fired his gun into the crowd. The British soldiers misheard the crowd as Captain Preston, so they did what they heard was the Captain. According to Captain Prestons account, he said that, ... some persons at the same time from behind calling out, ...-why dont you fire. Instantly three or four of the soldiers fired, one after another, and directly after three more in the same confusion and hurry. He also said, On my asking the soldiers why they fired without orders, they said they heard the word fire and supposed it came from me. The British soldiers misunderstanding of who yelled fire also supports that they didnt commit murder, but manslaughter.