Category: Boston Massacre and the Rise to Prominence
What was the Boston Massacre?
On March 5th, 1770 a fight between British soldiers and colonial residents broke near the Customs House in Boston, five colonial residents were shot and killed by British soldiers. Bostonians called this bloodshed the Boston Massacre. Even though the event happened more than two centuries ago, people still debate whether the responsibility falls within the […] more
Events that led to the Boston Massacre
Since 1765 the people of Boston had been heading protests against British taxation, first against the Stamp Act and then in 1767 against the Townshend Acts. Citizens believed that Britain did not have the right to tax them because they did not elect their representatives in Parliament. Only the Massachusetts Assembly, whose members were elected […] more
The Boston Massacre Trials
At the end of March 1770, just three weeks after the , a grand jury had indicted Captain Preston and his men as well as four civilians accused of having fired from the window of the Customs House. The soldiers of the twenty-ninth regiment accused of murder were William Wemms, James Hartigan, William McCauley, Hugh […] more
Summation of John Adams in Rex v Wemms
The following is a transcript of the summation of John Adams in Rex v Wemms, The Soldiers Trial. Tuesday, NINE o’Clock, the Court met according to adjournment, and Mr. ADAMS proceeded: May it please your Honours, and you Gentlemen of the Jury, I yesterday afternoon produced from the best authorities, those rules of law […] more
After the Boston Massacre
The had brought Adams great success as a lawyer. Within a decade of establishing his practice he had one of the heaviest caseloads of any lawyer in Massachusetts, nearly 450 cases. His clients were wealthy merchants, politicians and the country’s elite. To add to his success as a lawyer Adams was chosen to be the […] more
