Loyalists, also known as Tories or Royalists, were American colonists who supported the British monarchy during the American Revolutionary War. During the war, British strategy relied heavily upon the misguided belief that the Loyalist community could be mobilized into Loyalist regiments.
Which group of people most likely supported the actions of British troops?
Loyalists, also known as Tories or Royalists, were American colonists who supported the British monarchy during the American Revolutionary War. During the war, British strategy relied heavily upon the misguided belief that the Loyalist community could be mobilized into Loyalist regiments.
Who defended the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre?
John Adams Defends the British
It took seven months to arraign Preston and the other soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre and bring them to trial. Ironically, it was American colonist, lawyer and future President of the United States John Adams who defended them.
Who was responsible for the Boston Massacre?
Tensions began to grow, and in Boston in February 1770 a patriot mob attacked a British loyalist, who fired a gun at them, killing a boy. In the ensuing days brawls between colonists and British soldiers eventually culminated in the Boston Massacre.
How did the British respond to the Boston Massacre?
The British had a response to the Boston Tea Party also. The British were aware this event could have devolved into something more serious. Thus, the British ended all Townshend Act taxes except for the tax on tea. ... After the Boston Massacre, the colonists reestablished the committees of correspondence.
Which act angered the colonists the most?
Quartering Act .
The British further angered American colonists with the Quartering Act, which required the colonies to provide barracks and supplies to British troops.
What did loyalists believe?
Loyalists wanted to pursue peaceful forms of protest because they believed that violence would give rise to mob rule or tyranny. They also believed that independence would mean the loss of economic benefits derived from membership in the British mercantile system. Loyalists came from all walks of life.
Why did Adams defend the British soldiers in court?
He realized it was critical for the accused to have a fair trial , lest other nations view colonial America as a place where justice and due process are not respected or applied to all. A fair trial might also prevent retaliation from the British.
How did Paul Revere use the Boston Massacre?
Patriot leaders organized a funeral procession for the five who were killed. Paul Revere produced the engraving shown here of the Boston Massacre. It was used as propaganda (something used to help or harm a cause or individual) to demand the removal of British troops from Boston .
What happened to the soldiers who shot the colonists?
The Boston Massacre was a confrontation on March 5, 1770, in which British soldiers shot and killed several people while being harassed by a mob in Boston. ... Six of the soldiers were acquitted; the other two were convicted of manslaughter and given reduced sentences.
Who fired the first shot of the Revolution?
The British troops confronted one small group in Lexington, and for some reason, a shot rang out. The British opened fire upon the Patriots and then started a bayonet attack, killing eight local militia members.
Why were the colonists responsible for the Boston Massacre?
The protesters, who called themselves Patriots, were protesting the occupation of their city by British troops , who were sent to Boston in 1768 to enforce unpopular taxation measures passed by a British parliament that lacked American representation.
Who was at fault for the Boston Massacre and why?
The Americans claimed the British were at fault because they overreacted, unjustly killing five Americans . They used the “massacre” as a propaganda tool to spark dissent in the colonies.
How did England react to the Boston Tea Party?
The British response to the Boston Tea Party was to impose even more stringent policies on the Massachusetts colony. The Coercive Acts levied fines for the destroyed tea, sent British troops to Boston , and rewrote the colonial charter of Massachusetts, giving broadly expanded powers to the royally appointed governor.
What condition most directly led to the Boston Massacre?
The heavy presence of British troops in Boston that lead to the fatal shooting was the direct results of the Townshend Acts passed by British Parliament to impose additional taxes on common products imported into the Colonies . These products among others included paper, glass and tea.
What made the colonists so angry at the British?
Historians say the main reason the colonists were angry was because Britain had rejected the idea of ‘no taxation without representation' . Almost no colonist wanted to be independent of Britain at that time. Yet all of them valued their rights as British citizens and the idea of local self-rule.
