Questions Left byThe Boston Massacre

The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770, and is considered one of the main events leading to the American Revolution. Historic records of the skirmish include well-documented records of events and often conflicting testimony of supposed eyewitnesses. As a British sentry was being heckled by an angry and growing crowd of colonists, a nearby squad of British soldiers fired a volley of musket shots killing three colonists immediately and mortally wounding two others. Among the victims was Crispus Attucks, a 47-year old man of mixed African and Native American descent, and now widely regarded as the first American killed in the American Revolution. The British officer in charge, Captain Thomas Preston, along with eight of his men, were arrested and made to stand trial for manslaughter. While they were all acquitted, their actions in the Boston Massacre is regarded today as one of most significant acts of British abuse that rallied colonial Americans to the Patriot cause. Boston in 1770 Throughout the 1760s, Boston had been a very uneasy place. Colonists had increasingly been harassing British customs officials who were attempting to enforce the so-called Intolerable Acts. In October 1768, Britain began housing troops in Boston to protect the customs officials. Angry but largely non-violent clashes between the soldiers and the colonists had become commonplace. On March 5, 1770, however, the clashes became deadly. Promptly deemed a â€Å"massacre† by Patriot leaders, word of the day’s events quickly spread throughout the 13 colonies in a famous engraving by Paul Revere.   The Events of the Boston Massacre On the morning of  March 5, 1770,  a small group of colonists was up to their usual sport of tormenting British soldiers. By many accounts, there was a great deal of taunting that eventually lead to an escalation of hostilities. The sentry in front of the Custom House eventually lashed out at the colonists which brought more colonists to the scene. In fact, someone began ringing the church bells which usually signified a fire. The sentry called for help, setting up the clash which we now call the Boston Massacre. A group of soldiers led by Captain Thomas Preston came to the rescue of the lone sentry. Captain Preston and his detachment of seven or eight men were quickly surrounded. All attempts to calm the crowd proved useless. At this point, the accounts of the event vary drastically. Apparently, a soldier fired a musket into the crowd, immediately followed by more shots. This action left several wounded  and five dead including an African-American named Crispus Attucks. The crowd quickly dispersed, and the soldiers went back to their barracks. These are the facts we do know. However, many uncertainties surround this important historical event: Did the soldiers fire with provocation?Did they fire on their own?Was Captain Preston guilty of ordering his men to fire into a crowd of civilians?Was he innocent and being used by men like Samuel Adams to confirm the oft-claimed tyranny of England? The only evidence historians have to try and determine Captain Prestons guilt or innocence is the testimony of the eyewitnesses. Unfortunately, many of the statements conflict with each other and with Captain Prestons own account. We must try to piece together a hypothesis from these conflicting sources. Captain Prestons Account Captain Preston claimed he ordered his men to load their weapons.Captain Preston claimed he heard the crowd yelling fire.Captain Preston claimed they were attacked by heavy clubs and snowballs.Captain Preston claimed a soldier was hit by a stick and then fired.Captain Preston claimed the other soldiers fired in response to the colonist attack.Captain Preston claimed he reprimanded his men for firing into the crowd without orders. Eyewitness Statements in Support of Captain Prestons Statement Witnesses including Peter Cunningham claimed they heard Captain Preston order his men to load their weapons.Witnesses including Richard Palmes claimed they asked Captain Preston if he intended to fire and he said no.Witnesses including William Wyatt claimed the crowd was calling for the soldiers to fire.Witnesses including James Woodall claimed they saw a stick thrown and hit a soldier, which prompted him to fire, quickly followed by several other soldiers.Witnesses including Peter Cunningham claimed an officer other than Preston was behind the men and that he ordered the soldiers to fire.Witnesses including William Sawyer claimed the crowd threw snowballs at the soldiers.Witnesses including Matthew Murray claimed they did not hear Captain Preston order his men to fire.William Wyatt claimed that Captain Preston reprimanded his men for firing into the crowd.Edward Hill claimed that Captain Preston made a soldier put away his weapon instead of allowing him to continue to shoot. Eyewitness Statements Opposed to Captain Prestons Statement Witnesses including Daniel Calef claimed that Captain Preston ordered his men to fire.Henry Knox claimed the soldiers were hitting and pushing with their muskets.Joseph Petty claimed he did not see any sticks thrown at the soldiers until after the firing.Robert Goddard claimed he heard Captain Preston curse his men for not firing when ordered.Several soldiers including Hugh White claimed they heard the order to fire and believed they were obeying his commands. The facts are unclear. There is some evidence that seems to point to Captain Prestons innocence. Many people close to him did not hear him give the order to fire despite his order to load the muskets. In the confusion of a crowd throwing snowballs, sticks, and insults at the soldiers, it would be easy for them to think they received an order to fire. In fact, as noted in the testimony, many in the crowd were calling them to fire.   The Trial and Acquittal of Captain Preston Hoping to show Britain the impartiality of colonial courts, patriot leaders John Adams and Josiah Quincy volunteered to defend Captain Preston and his soldiers. Based on a lack of substantiated evidence, Preston and six of his men were acquitted. Two others were found guilty of manslaughter and were released after being branded on the hand. Because of the lack of evidence, it is not hard to see why the jury found Captain Preston innocent. The effect of this verdict was much greater than the Crown could ever have guessed. The leaders of the rebellion were able to use it as proof of Britains tyranny. While it was not the only instance of unrest and violence before the revolution, the Boston Massacre is often pointed to as the event that presaged the Revolutionary War. Like the Maine, Lusitania, Pearl Harbor, and September 11, 2001, Terror Attacks, the Boston Massacre became the rallying cry for the Patriots.

A Comparison Of Determinism And Free Will Theory - 1629 Words

Magd Al Harbi A Comparison of Determinism Free Will Theory Kent State University Introduction One aspect of human existence that I think is particularly interesting is the extent of control of which we have over the decisions we make. In life, there are many decisions to be made, from simple ones that seem almost subconscious to complex decisions that can take days to ponder on. There are decisions that we make that directly affect others, indirectly affect others, and decisions that we believe do not affect others, or even ourselves, at all. There are decisions that we believe do not matter and would have no impact on our existence. Two theories that shed some light on these aspects are the theory of determinism from†¦show more content†¦By â€Å"pleasurable†, Hume means a sensation that simply makes us feel good. An assertion such as this brings forth the reason behind Hume’s theory that humans are bound by determinism—firstly, we are born to naturally make decisions based on the most pleasurable outcome, which is not something we can control, therefore, it is a pre-determined characteristic of humans (Hume, 2006, p. 76). Secondly, Hume argues that the feelings we receive regarding things are determined mostly by elements out of our control. Therefore almost every sensation and feeling we incur is not made by that of our own volition but by a combination of countless ideas and impressions that have occurred in our life that we are not able to scrutinize or comprehend fully because there are far too many to analyze. Thirdly, Hume integrates the complexity of social norms into his theory as well. Depending on the situation, gaining social approbation from the community can cause more pleasure for someone than acting out of a selfish motive, due to the social disapproval making a decision could present (Hume, 2006, p. 10). For example, upon studying this theory, I found myself thinking about a time in which I was working on a project with a group and felt like skipping one of our group meetings because I was exhausted from work andShow MoreRelatedJohn Locke And John Chaffees Theory Of Philosophy1443 Words   |  6 Pagesbetween two extremes. John Locke developed his own theory of mind, which is often mentioned as the origin of modern conceptions of identity and self. Philosophers over the stretch of time have developed, and fine-tuned, their theories and conceptualized their own ideas on how and why all things in the universe work. From these different theories three examples of these ideas th at stand out are determinism, compatibilism, and libertarianism. Determinism, defined by John Chaffee, is â€Å"The view that everyRead MoreEssay on Freedom-Determinism debate1689 Words   |  7 PagesFreedom-Determinism Debate The controversy between freewill and determinism has been argued about for years. Freewill is defined as the belief that our behaviour is under our own control and do not act in response to any internal or external factors. Freewill has been found to have four different conditions and to have freewill at least two conditions must be obtained, these are; people have a choice on their actions, have not been coerced by anything or anyone, have full voluntary and deliberateRead MoreFreedom-Determinism Debate1726 Words   |  7 PagesThe controversy between freewill and determinism has been argued about for years. Freewill is defined as the belief that our behaviour is under our own control and do not act in response to any internal or external factors. Freewill has been found to have four different conditions and to have freewill at least two conditions must be obtained, these are; people have a choice on their actions, have not been coerced by anything or anyone, have full voluntary a nd deliberate control of what they do. OneRead MoreFree Will And The Human Brain And Our Emotions1507 Words   |  7 PagesI believe that â€Å"free will† does not exist in any shape or form. â€Å"Free will is the power of acting without the constraint of necessity of fate, the ability to act at one’s own discretion†. Relatively speaking we â€Å"humans† are groups of atoms simply reacting with other groups of atoms. Elaborating on the human brain and our emotions, it demonstrates that since we are conscious an illusion is formed that we have free will when it is all cause and effect. In comparison humans are like robots, we get allRead MoreAnalysis Of Freewill In Oedipus The King933 Words   |  4 Pagesthe King   Ã‚  Ã‚   Determinists believe that every event of our life is strictly determined by a preceding event. This order follows until the sequence of events dates back before our birth, thus, beyond the notion of oneself as an individual. From this theory, one could argue that there could never be an attribution of responsibility to individuals since they cannot be held responsible for events dating before their birth. At the end of Oedipus the King written by Sophocles, Oedipus attributes full responsibilityRead MoreCauses And Consequences Of Juvenile Delinquency Essay1657 Words   |  7 Pagesone of the highest in comparison to other countries in the world. Discovering a single cause of juvenile delinquency is difficult, but there is no doubt that a combination of various theories and factors could point researchers in the right direction of establishing a source. Theory and research are the two basic tools of science, and they are ineluctably bound. â€Å"Each helps to guide and direct the other. Research collects and theory analyzes; research discovers and theory explains; research disprovesRead MoreEssay on Harrison Bergeron682 Words   |  3 Pageslaw are made without the consensus of the society, depriving to individuals that can develop a free world, keeping the people controlled and disabled mental and physically and the peoples cannot do anything to exit oppression, by fear of violating the law and generate chaos in society. Harrison Bergeron 2 We could set a comparison between the Harrison Bergeron scenario and the theory of Marx, indicating â€Å"the determinant variable is the mode of production. Changes in this produceRead MorePlato s View Of Reality Essay1483 Words   |  6 Pagesthese philosophers believe knowledge is attainable through acts of realization and simple knowledge, and each philosopher presents his/her main point of reality through different ways of attaining it. I will further mention the relevance of Plato’s theory in today’s world and why I believe it to be valuable. Reality versus illusion is described by Plato in chapter seven of The Republic. Plato creates an allegorical view of what it means to be alive, and the journey of gaining a sense of realityRead MoreFree Will vs. Determinism Essay1951 Words   |  8 PagesFree Will vs. Determinism Society walks about day-by-day living their lives and never really thinking or breaking down how their day unfolds or why it plays out the way it does. Some people have said that individuals have a choice and are able to decide on where their day goes. Others on the other hand would argue this assessment and state that your day and your life as whole are all pre determined. The different is free will vs. determinism. Do you believe we live in a free will world or hasRead MoreSummary of Chua 1986635 Words   |  3 PagesSummary of Chua 1986 Authors main point Provide two alternative world views and their underlying assumptions are elucidated – interpretive and the critical. Discuss consequences of conducting research within these philosophical traditions through a comparison between accounting research that is conducted on the same problem but from two different perspectives. Deal briefly with the difficulties associated with these alternative perspectives Author’s purpose To change the emphasis of mainstream accounting

Superstition and Daily Life Dealings Free Essays

What does the word superstition mean to you? We really find it difficult to define it. According to one simple definition, feelings or believes involving fear of some unseen forces is called superstition. For example, if a person believes that by wearing some kind of charm he will be protected from evil spirits and bad luck and without wearing It he will be under the influence of some unseen forces and also he will have bad luck. We will write a custom essay sample on Superstition and Daily Life Dealings or any similar topic only for you Order Now This kind of feelings or believes which involve fear of unseen forces, which can’t be proved, is called superstition and those people ho have such kind of believes are known as superstitious people. This kind of people believes in signs and numbers of good luck and bad luck and their whole live are greatly affected by these signs and numbers. How did Superstitions Begin? It is almost impossible to say that when people started believing in signs and numbers because there are many things all of us believe in that can’t be proved. At certain times In man’s history, and even today, everyone believed In certain things that now we regard as superstitions. At that time science was not as much developed as today, so those things and events which wondered and righted people at that time. They started believing In them and became superstitious. For instance, when they went under the trees at night time, they felt uncomfortable breathing. As they didn’t know any authentic reason behind this fact so they started beveling that to go under trees at night time Invites the anger of Ghost which makes their breathing uncomfortable in order to harm them. But, today we all know that trees absorb oxygen at night time and the deficiency of oxygen under trees at night makes our breathing uncomfortable Instead of Ghost. Similarly they believed that the shadow or reflection of a person is a part of soul. So, to break those things on which this shadow appeared was regarded as to harm the soul. So they considered it unlucky to break a mirror. Today If someone considers it unlucky to break mirror or believes that to go under the trees at night invites the anger of Ghost, we will definitely call him superstitious because today we no longer believe in these kind of â€Å"foolish† reasons which long time ago people believed. So superstition is actually a belief or practice that people cling to after new knowledge or facts have appeared to disprove them. That’s why it is impossible to say hen superstitions began. Some Familiar Superstitions: We can find superstitious people almost in every society, every country and In every religion although less in numbers than past. In past people TLD know about sun, stars, moon, and comets etc. So they made up explanations about their motion and followed certain practices to protect themselves from the influence of their motion on life. This is very common even today and become a commercial under the name of â€Å"Horoscope†. If a black cat crosses the way of a person, then that is considered as unlucky for that person. Another superstition which is very common in Europe and America Is â€Å"Friday The 13th†. When a Friday guests are expected. Some people wear stone made rings and believe that when bad luck is ahead , these stones change their color or they break down. Some people wear amulet and believe that this will protect from evil spirits. Some believe that if owls live in a house then that house will be ruined. Many people have their lucky numbers and they believe in them. There are many other superstitions which seem to be Joyful and Joke for us but they change the entire lives of those who believe in them. How to avoid Superstition? Superstitious people live their lives under the influence of unseen forces and fear. They cannot live a normal life. They are extra-careful in their daily life dealings. To keep yourselves away from these kind of feelings and believe Just believe in God Almighty, Who decided the fortune of man before man’s birth. So nothing can influence your lives. Superstitions are strictly denied in Islam. In any trouble, pay attentions towards Allah Almighty and seek His help. Find the genuine and scientific reasons behind the facts (instead of believing their influence or power as superstitious people do) and enjoy the life. How to cite Superstition and Daily Life Dealings, Essays