"The King Street Killing". The assignment was to write an editorial, backed up by factual information, on an event of American History, in this case THE BOSTON MASSACRE.

THE KING STREET KILLING

THE BOSTON MASSACRE

In October 1768 King George III sent troops to Boston to watch the colonies. This was the first time troops had been sent to control the colonies. They had been sent because the Stamp Act had made the colonists angry and the King feared they might get out of hand.

Boston residents became angry especially when the troops started the noisy drills. "How am I supposed to put my little Mary to sleep with them Redcoats yelling and blowing whistles," exclaimed residents.

Then the locals became even angrier when the Quartering Law was passed. The Quartering Law said that the colonists had to house a soldier. "My wife and I are working like slaves. My wife has to clean and cook twice as much with the Redcoats. I have to fetch this and fetch that," said John Miller. "It costs me a fortune to supply them with a candle and five pints of beer each day.

Redcoats annoucing news of the defeat of Sebastop...

Redcoats Green

Redcoat March

What do I look like? A money tree?"

On Wednesday March 5, young boys could be heard taunting the soldiers and throwing rocks at them. On King Street a group of men (mostly sailors) teased a lone soldier on guard. They threw snowballs, called him names, and dared him to shoot. Other soldiers came to help and the mob jeered at them too. One of the soldiers got excited and fired into the crowd. No one knows what happened next exactly but five innocent men were killed and six were wounded. Boston is horrified and people are still weeping in the streets.

The soldiers were arrested. John Adams has agreed to defend them in court. Even though he does not like soldiers he thinks everybody should have a fair trial. You never know what's going to happen...