Using material from the original trial records, students role-play the trial of the nine British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre. Students will become lawyers, witnesses, and jurors to explore this complex and, at times, contradictory historical event.
Group size: 15-30
Built in 1713, the Old State House served as the seat of government in colonial Massachusetts. During the 18th century, the building housed the royal governor’s Council, the colonial legislature, county and provincial courts, and a thriving exchange where wealthy merchants could buy and sell and shares in each other’s business ventures. Prior to Independence, the building and its surrounding public square served as a focal point for resistance to British authority. In the Representatives chamber, colonial lawmakers gave shape to fundamental ideas about representation and union that still play a role in American life today. The shocking bloodshed known as the Boston Massacre occurred beneath the Old State House balcony on March 5, 1770.
