Chapter 4 and 5 –Read pages 31-40
A Mob, the Media, a Massacre and a Murder Trial in Boston
Purpose: Students conduct a trial to determine the facts and decide the fate of the British soldiers accused of murdering innocent Boston citizens in the famous "Boston Massacre" of March 5, 1770, amidst media misinformation, emotion, and scores of witnesses who claimed they saw what happened.
Set up: Assign the following roles:
1 student as Hugh White, the British soldier guarding the military funds in the Custom House
1 student to play the part of the boy who taunts Hugh;
1 student to play the part of John Preston, the British army officer accused of being responsible for the massacre;
5 students to play the parts of Crispus Attucks, Samuel Gray, James Caldwell, the sailor Samuel Maverick and Patrick Carr who are shot after a soldier is hit by a rock thrown from the crowd;
2 students as the reporter and editor for the Boston Gazette Newspaper;
1 student to play John Adams, who defends the unpopular British officer,
1 student to play Mr. Forester who convinces John Adams to take Preston's case;
1 student to be Sam Quincy, the prosecutor,
1 student as the judge
Resources: Each of the students should read pages 31-40; and research their characters by reading materials in the websites of footnotes 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 56. The student playing the part of John Preston reads footnote 53. Students playing the roles of John Adams and Sam Quincy should prepare their cases with research help from other students. (John Adams, a Patriot defended the British Captain and Sam Quincy, a Loyalist, prosecuted the British Captain Preston.)
Procedure: Read the Boston Gazette report (Footnote 51) and Professor Douglas Linder's account of the trial in the Jurist The students will write the play script and play the parts. They may play several roles in the play as part of the Americans in the street.
This could take several weeks and be accomplished with a team teaching approach with an English or Drama teacher or a volunteer lawyer to help the students write the script for the trial.
Evaluation: Invite other classes for the trial. These classes could play the role of jury.