Violence in Boston

  The biggest riots were in Boston because the officials abused their power. The Massachusetts legislature issued a circular letter denouncing the Townshend Act. Very few colonist pay attention to this, until the governor dissolve the Massachusetts legislator and passed the Massachusetts Government Act; it put the colony over the control of an appointed governor. The elective assembly was closed down. Towns meetings were gone too; the colonist lost the right to govern themselves.

   In already a tense situation, the costumes officers seize a merchant ship called ¨Liberty¨ and this was seized for smuggling. It belongs to a wealthy man called John Hancock. This created riots, the crown sent 4000 troops to Boston. The presence of the troops inflamed overall anger. Troops started to take away the colonist jobs. One night of March 5 of 1770 a group of colonists hurled snowballs and rocks to the troops. The British soldiers were gardening the costume house. The soldiers killed the 5 colonist. Samuel Adams called this ¨The Boston Massacre¨ like the one in the picture.

     Later Adam organized the ¨committees of correspondence¨. It was organized through Massachusetts. This provides leadership and promoted cooperation. By 1773 other colonies were creating this which built colonial unity. Parliament back down once again. The British withdrew the troops from Boston.