THE BOSTON MASSACRE

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THE BOSTON MASSACRE

• An Example of
• Historical Propaganda

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What is a massacre?

• The dictionary defines a massacre as
• The act or an instance of killing a large number
  of humans indiscriminately and cruelly.

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What was the Boston Massacre?

• Here is a drawing of the massacre as drawn by
  Paul Revere

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The Colonial Perspective

• Take another look at the engraving
• Can you find the British?
• Can you find the Colonists?
• Who has the guns?
• Which group is dying?
• Who is at fault?
• Who is innocent?
• How do you know?

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Why did Paul Revere create this picture?

• Who does he want you to think are the bad guys?
• Who does he want you to think are the good guys?
• How did he do this?

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Is this the true story?

• What do you think?

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So what really happened?

• It was 8 oclock at night on Monday, March 5,
  1770. Private Hugh White stood guard at the
  Custom House on King Street in Boston.

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So what really happened?

• A British officer, a captain, walked by the
  sentry post where Private White was standing
  guard. A teenager by the name of Edward Garrick,
  a helper in a barber shop, yelled to the captain
  that he had not paid his barber bill. He was
  ignored by the captain but not by Private White.
  

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So what really happened?

• Private White left his post and told Edward
  Garrick that the captain was a gentleman and paid
  all of his bills. Garrick responded that there
  were no gentlemen in the British Army. Private
  White hit Edward Garrick with the butt of his
  rifle.

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So what really happened?

• Garrick returned with other teenage men. They
  began to taunt Private White. Garrick shouted,
  Lousy rascal! and . . . rascally scoundrel
  lobster! The other teenagers joined in the
  shouting. Men from the docks heard the shouting
  and gathered around. There were now at least 50
  men surrounding Private White. As the crowd grew
  the shouting continued, Kill the soldier! Kill
  the . . . coward, kill him, knock him down!

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So what really happened?

• The crowd made snowballs with stones and
  jagged-edged clamshells inside. Private White
  climbed the Customs House steps trying to get
  away from the mob. No one was inside, so he
  shouted Turn out the main guard! Seven
  soldiers in the barracks nearby, led by Captain
  Thomas Pearson, came running to the Customs
  House.

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So what really happened?

• The commotion was heard by men in a nearby tavern
  where sailors had gathered. A black dock worker
  by the name of Crispus Attucks left the tavern
  with 30 sailors - each armed with a club.

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So what really happened?

• The group of sailors from the tavern and the
  group of soldiers from the barracks reached
  Private White at about the same time. The
  soldiers joined Private White and faced the
  crowd, which was now made up of over 300 people.
  The crowd yelled at the soldiers, Why do you not
  fire? . . . you dare not fire! This wasnt
  bravery. The crowd knew that the soldiers could
  not shoot unless ordered to by the civilian
  government. If they did they could be hanged.

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So what really happened?

• Captain Preston tried to reason with the crowd.
  Crispus Attucks hit him in the arm with his club.
  Attucks hit another soldier over the head
  knocking him to the ground.
• The crowd continued to become more and more
  threatening. The taunting and shouting
  continued. Kill the lobsters! Kill them!

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So what really happened?

• The soldiers, out of fear for their lives, fired
  their guns. It was not under order, and it was
  not coordinated. Five men were dead or dying.
  Crispus Attucks was dead-shot twice.

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So, now that you know the facts

• Is Paul Reveres drawing accurate?
• Does it agree with the facts?
• Why or why not?

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We call thisPROPAGANDA

• Material disseminated by the advocates or
  opponents of a doctrine or cause
• Thats a mouthful what does it really mean?

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PROPAGANDA

• Using communication techniques to create an
  emotion. This emotion is meant to make you feel
  a certain way about someone or something.

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Propaganda Techniques

• There are many different techniques that people
  use to make you feel different emotions.
• Here are some of the more common techniques that
  you will see in advertisements

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Glittering Generalities

• Using virtue words. It is the opposite of name
  calling. These ads link a person or an idea to a
  positive symbol.
• What are the positive symbols in this example?

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Testimonial

• A public figure or celebrity promotes or endorses
  a product or policy.
• Who is the celebrity?
• What is he endorsing?

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Plain Folks

• An attempt to convince the audience that a
  prominent person and his ideas are of the
  people.
• Who is the prominent person? How is he of the
  people?

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Bandwagon

• Tells you that everyone else is doing it and so
  should you.
• Can you think of any other bandwagon
  advertisements you have seen?

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Fear

• Plays on the fears of the audience. Warns them
  that disaster will result if they do not follow a
  particular course of action.
• This is an ad from World War II.
• Who are we supposed to fear?
• What should we do?

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Humor
Get the right diapers! Stay dry!
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Common Propaganda Techniques

• Glittering Generalities
• Testimonial
• Plain Folks
• Bandwagon
• Fear
• Humor

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Which technique did Paul Revere use?

• Glittering Generalities
• Testimonial
• Plain Folks
• Bandwagon
• Fear
• Humor
• What was his purpose?