Megan Simmons
Cyber Inquiry
Due November 21st, 2011
Overview
1. This goal of this lesson is to be able review historical facts and opinions about the
Boston Massacre to form an informative opinion about the controversial events
that happened.
2. This lesson is aimed at 8th and 9th grade history classes.
3. Academic standards: - 8.1.8.A: Compare and contrast events over time and how
continuity and change over time influenced those events. - 8.1.8.B: Compare and
contrast a historical event, using multiple points of view from primary and
secondary sources. - 8.1.8.C: Produce an organized product on an assigned
historical topic that presents and reflects on a thesis statement and appropriate
primary and secondary sources.
4. Students will have one class period to access a computer lab in the school library,
at this time the students will also have access to the class portfolio. They are
encouraged to review all materials and continue researching at home. The next
class period students will continue working in their groups to make a poster or
power point about whether or not justice was actually served in the Boston
Massacre trials.
Introduction
In class, we have talked about the atmosphere in the American Colonies before
the American Revolution. High taxes, no representation in government and the
Quartering Acts, which mandated Colonists to give free room and board to British
soldiers, made Boston and very hostile place to be in the 1770’s. The Boston Massacre
was a turning point in pre-revolution Boston. In March 1770 British troops stationed in
Boston were surrounded by a mob yelling and harassing them. Eventually the mob started
throwing objects at the troops, a shot was fired and no one knew if it was from the British
troops or from the colonial soldiers. The troops fired into the crowd against orders, killing
three people. Numerous people were wounded and two colonists died after the incident
because of their injuries. The governor at the time Thomas Hutchinson, promised that the
soldiers would be tried for manslaughter. Eight British soldiers and their Captain,
Thomas Preston, were arrested and put on trial in the fall of 1770. Lawyer John Adams
represented the troop in the trial. Adams argued that they could not have fired the first
shot because Captain Preston was standing directly in front of them in the beginning of
the riots. Captain Preston and six soldiers were found not guilty while two soldiers were
found guilty of manslaughter and their thumbs were branded before they were released
from jail.
Students will be broken up into groups of three or four and told that they are
private investigators who have been approached by the wealthy ancestor of one of the
British soldiers who were found guilty in the trial to reopen the case. As a “private eye”,
students will be asked to look at primary and secondary sources from the time period as
well as newer resources analyzing the massacre and trial as well as the events before and
after that dictated the outcome, to either clear all the soldiers of any guilt or prove that
they did in fact fire on innocent colonists. Were the soldiers who were found guilty truly
guilty or were they punished to appease the American people?
Each team will be asked to turn in a report of all the internet sources not provided
by the teacher, their personal notes on the subject and whatever clues they have found to
help them prove their case. Individually, students will write a three to four page paper
explaining the events of the Boston Massacre and whether they have found the soldiers
innocent or guilty and why.
Investigation
The numerous websites below will help students get started in their search for
justice. Students must keep in mind that these sites are meant to be a starting point for
their project and should not be the only research used. The portfolio will also be available
at all times during this assignment for students to utilize and add too.
1. http://www.constitution.org/primarysources/boston.html - Article from the Boston
Gazette about the Massacre.
2. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/bostonmassacre.htm - The British
perspective on the Boston Massacre.
3. http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/D/1751-1775/bostonmassacre/prest.htm - Capt. Thomas
Preston’s first hand account of the Boston Massacre.
4. http://www.google.com/imgres?q=boston+massacre&um=1&hl=en&client=safari
&sa=N&rls=en&biw=1280&bih=738&tbm=isch&tbnid=ObIsqAvz9yfozM:&img
refurl=http://www.history.com/photos/american-revolution-events-andbattles/photo1&docid=T34z5uQFqqgzNM&imgurl=http://www.history.com/imag
es/media/slideshow/american-revolution-events-and-battles/bostonmassacre.jpg&w=605&h=412&ei=CQ3ITtiONuXX0QHmp6UY&zoom=1&iact=
hc&vpx=984&vpy=284&dur=1475&hovh=185&hovw=272&tx=192&ty=96&sig
=100344536763169448619&page=1&tbnh=120&tbnw=145&start=0&ndsp=28&
ved=1t:429,r:13,s:0 - Image of the Boston Massacre.
5. http://www.google.com/imgres?q=boston+massacre&um=1&hl=en&client=safari
&sa=N&rls=en&biw=1280&bih=738&tbm=isch&tbnid=1g5HmVfbmFFfHM:&i
mgrefurl=http://bmshistory7p3.wikispaces.com/Boston%2BMassacre&docid=0O
EMXy2CYOSQ2M&imgurl=http://bmshistory7p3.wikispaces.com/file/view/199
60601-1-06-boston-massacretombstone.jpg&w=429&h=648&ei=CQ3ITtiONuXX0QHmp6UY&zoom=1&iact
=rc&dur=494&sig=100344536763169448619&page=1&tbnh=129&tbnw=86&st
art=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:23,s:0&tx=51&ty=89 - Grave stone of the victims
of the massacre.
6. http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/acct-adams1.htm - John Adams speech at the
trial of the accused soldiers.
Gathering Information
All information and research should be kept neatly in their group folder along
with their notes on what they thought while reading and reviewing their sources. While
gathering information and research students are asked to consider the following
questions.
1. What role did John Adams play in the trials of the British soldiers? Were there
any consequences for John Adams and his family because he took on this role?
2. How did the colonists view the British soldiers? Could this have played an
important role in the Boston Massacre?
3. How was the outcome of the trial received by the American colonists? By the
British?
4. Who was really at fault? The colonists or the British?
5. How did Captain Thomas Preston act while on trial? Was this the right way to
handle the situation?
6. What kind of propaganda was used at the time to influence the people’s view of
what actually happened during the Boston massacre?
Portfolio
The classroom portfolio will be available at all times during this project. Students
will be asked to contribute additional information into the class portfolio by writing facts,
clues, or quotes that they have come across while researching. On the top of the index
card students should include their name and the source of the information. All student
information should be properly cited in MLA format. If the source is from a book
provided in the portfolio, the index card should be used as a marker in the book for other
students to see with the quote and page number written clearly on it. Extra credit will be
given to students who contribute four or more relevant pieces of information.
Books included in the portfolio will be:
1. A History of the Boston Massacre, March 5th 1770 by Frederic Kidder
2. The Boston Massacre by Hiller B. Zobel
3. The Portable John Adams by John Patrick Diggins
4. As If An Enemy’s Country: The British Occupation of Boston by Richard Archer
5. Fusiliers: The Saga of a British Redcoat Regiment in the American Revolution by
Mark Urban
Sharing Information
Students will either make a poster or Power Point presentation presenting the
information they have found to the class to support their view of whether or not the
British soldiers were truly innocent or if they should have been found guilty of causing
the Boston massacre. Each presentation should include audio and visual components to
help support the groups take on the Boston massacre. Each group should have a 10 to 15
minute presentation prepared explaining their findings and opinions of the trial.
Each student will also hand in an in a three to four page paper summarizing the
events of the Boston Massacre, the groups presentation and whether or not they believe
justice was actually served for the two soldiers who were found guilty. Students should
also include why tensions in the American Colonies were high enough to cause a riot/
massacre that turned deadly. All information used should be cited in a separate
bibliography page in MLA format. All pages in the paper should be number on the
bottom middle of the page. Students name, title of project i.e.: Boston Massacre Cyber
Inquiry, and class period should be included on the top left hand corner of the paper. All
papers should be typed double-spaced in 12 pt. font time’s new roman style.
Evaluation of Presentations
Each student will be given a group and independent grade. This is a 100-point
assignment.
1. Portfolio index card- 5 points
2. Individual paper- 35 points
3. Group presentation- 30 points
4. Group research folder- 30 points
All students are expected to save copies of the individual, group, and student evaluation
of Cyber Inquiry project which the student should have reflected on and filled out
attached to their individual papers. Before presentations all individual papers should be
placed into group folder. All rubrics are attached on the following pages.
Individual Paper Rubric – 35 points
Name:
Grammar and
Spelling
Organization and
flow of paper
Content- summery
of Massacre
Summery of group
project
Explanation of
whether soldiers are
guilty or innocent
Paper set up
Bibliography
Total:
/ 35 Points
Excellent – 5 Points
0-2 spelling or
grammar mistakes.
Excellent paper,
organized and easy
to read. Good flow
from one paragraph
to another.
Excellent summery
of the events leading
up to the Boston
Massacre. Student
showed that they
have thoroughly
researched and
understand this
subject.
Full summery of
group presentation.
Well thought out
explanation of
whether justice was
served in the Boston
Massacre trial.
Numerous examples
of how student has
come to this
explanation are
included in paper.
All pages are set up
according to
directions on paper.
Bibliography in
MLA format
included in the
paper.
Good 3 Points
5 to 8 spelling or
grammar errors.
Good paper, some
basic organization
of paper however
some areas are
choppy.
Good summery of
events, however
important facts and
connections were
excluded from
paper. Some
research and
understanding are
shown.
Good summery
although some
important points of
presentations are
left out of paper.
Little information
included in paper
about how student
decided if soldiers
were innocent or
guilty.
Poor 0-1 Point
More then 8 errors
in paper.
Poor paper, no
organization of
paper.
Page numbers or
name, class period,
date and project title
are not included.
Bibliography
include is not in
MLA format or
some cites are
missing.
No page set up
Paper contained
little to no research
of topic. No
understanding is
shown.
Little or no
summery of group
presentation
Verdict of guilty or
innocent provided
however there is no
explanation as to
how this decision
was made.
No bibliography
Group Presentation and Group Folder rubric – 60 Points
Name:
Organized Folder
Contributions to
group research
Group Presentation
Organization
Length of
presentation
Total:
/60 Points
Excellent – 15
Points
Group folder is
handed in with all
individual papers
included along with
print outs of group
research.
All members of
group have worked
together to help
complete this
project. Teams
worked together in
class to create
presentations.
Presentation is well
organized and eye
pleasing. All
information was
accurate and there
were no spelling or
grammar mistakes.
Presentation was
10-15 minutes long
and each group
member had a turn
presenting their
information
Good – 10 Points
Poor- 0-5 Points
Group folder is a bit
disorganized and
missing a
component of
research or papers.
Very little research
has been included
into the group
folder. Or no folder
has been provided
by group
One person did most
of the work and
research during
class time.
Most of the team
worked well
together doing
research and the
presentation while
other group
members did not
cooperate or help
with the project.
Presentation was
slightly
disorganized and
had a few spelling
and grammar
mistakes.
Presentation was
between 8 and 10
minutes long and
each member spoke
during the
presentation.
Presentation was
done last minute and
is extremely
disorganized. There
are many spelling
mistakes throughout
poster/ power point.
Presentation was
less then 8 minutes
long with only one
or two presenters.
Other group
members did not
contribute or answer
questions.
Student Evaluation of Cyber Inquiry
Name:
Please answer the following questions to help me improve this lesson. This evaluation
should be filled out and attached to your paper before you include it in your group folder.
1. What did you like about this Cyber Inquiry?
2. What would you change about this lesson?
3. What did you find difficult? Easy?
4. Do you believe that this lesson helped you improve your understanding of the
topic?
5. Do you have any other suggestions or comments about the Cyber Inquiry?