Boston Massacre
March 5, 1770
Boston, Massachusetts
BritishColonists
Captain Thomas PrestonNarratorColonist # 2
Hugh WhiteEdward Garrick7 Snowball Throwing Colonists
Hugh MontgomeryJoseph Morgan
Matthew KillroyCrispus Attucks
Captain John GoldfinchColonist # 1
**All colonists begin 1st scene in the back of the room**
Narrator- In Boston tensions have been running high between the colonists and British soldiers. The soldiers have been in the city for nearly 2 years. They were called there to restore order to the city and make sure the citizens followed the king’s laws. The date is March 5, 1770. It is about 8:00 at night. In Boston snow is falling and covering the ground.
Captain Goldfinch- Hey Hugh, how much longer do you have until you get to go home?
Hugh White- I’ve got another 3 months. I’ll be home just in time to see my son turn 4 on his birthday. I’ve missed his last 2 birthdays. I can’t believe I haven’t seen my wife for almost 2 years. I wonder if she even looks the same.
Captain Goldfinch- How bout’ you Killroy? How much more time you got?
Matthew Killroy- I’ve got another 6 months. This is the second time I’ve been in the colonies though. I fought in the French and Indian War and then stayed here for 2 years in 1758. I got to go back to Britain for another 6 years until these colonists started being violent to tax collectors. And…here I am again!
Hugh White- Those dang colonists! It’s all their faults that we’re here. Why can’t they just pay their stupid taxes like the rest of the British citizens? My family pays taxes to the crown. I don’t think they even know why taxes are high.
Killroy- Yeah, if they would stop and think for a minute maybe they’d realize they are being taxed because we fought a war for them. They act like we are supposed to pay for the war that was fought so they could live here.
White- I can’t wait to get out of here. These colonists don’t give a mouse’s tail about us. They treat us like crap and always say they want us to leave.
***Killroy leaves the scene***
Narrator- A few teenage boys are walking down King Street when they spot Captain Goldfinch and Hugh White.
**Garrick and 2 other colonists (any 2) move from the back of the room to approach the British soldiers**
Edward Garrick- Hey guys, there is the dirty Redcoat who hasn’t paid my master for dressing his hair.
Captain John Goldfinch- I do not owe any colonists money. I pay for the things I buy.
Hugh White- He’s a gentleman, and if he owes you anything he will pay for it.
Garrick- There are no gentlemen in the British army!
White- (approaching Garrick) What did you say boy? If you have something to say to me, why don’t you say it to my face?
Garrick- I said there are no gentlemen in the British army, and that includes you!
White- (hitting Garrick with the butt of his musket) You are just a piece of colonial trash like the rest of them!
Narrator- Garrick leaves with the other teenagers to tell people what just happened. Crowds of people start to gather when they hear that the soldier struck one of their citizens with his musket. Soon about 50 people are surrounding the British soldier Hugh White while they are shouting at him.
Joseph Morgan- You bloody lobster back! Why don’t you fight us now you rascal!
Narrator- White is fearful and retreats to the steps of the tax collection house. He bangs on the door with his musket and calls for help.
White- Open the doors! Let me in! (Yelling) Guards, come to my rescue!!
Narrator- Nearby a crowd of about 200 people has gathered and begins to head toward the Custom House where White is surrounded by about 50 colonists. On the way someone pulls the fire bell rope at the Meeting House bringing dozens more colonists into the street. The British Captain on duty this evening is Thomas Preston. He was a couple blocks away with his men trying to work out a plan.
Captain Preston- Men, we must go to the Custom house to rescue Hugh White. His life is in danger there. I fear if we leave him he will be killed by a mob. Let’s go!
**British soldiers join the others in the front of the room surrounded by colonists**
Narrator- Preston and 7 of his men proceed to the Custom House where they find Hugh White surrounded by a large crowd. They work their way up to the stairs where white is pinned against the door.
Captain Preston- I think we should leave this area at once…but I don’t think this crowd will let us go. They are surrounding us.
Hugh Montgomery- We cannot leave now! This crowd is too large. There is no way they will let us out of here.
Narrator- The crowd begins yelling at the soldiers while throwing snowballs, ice balls, chunks of coal, and other objects at the soldiers. There are 9 soldiers and as many as 300 colonists.
Captain Preston- Go home!! Be on your way. We do not want any trouble here. Leave this place at once!
Colonist # 1- (Throwing snowballs) Why don’t you go back to Britain! No one wants you here.
Colonist # 2- (Throwing snowballs) Yeah, we don’t want you here you filthy red coats! Get out of our town!
Matthew Killroy- Leave us alone! You call yourselves loyalists? The king will hear about this!
***All Colonists throw snowballs at the British soldiers***
Crispus Attucks- Leave us alone you bloody lobster back! (Swing club at a British soldier)
Hugh Montgomery- (after seeing soldier hit with club)Dang you! Fire! (Montgomery fires into the crowd)
***British soldiers begin firing into the crowd*** Wait 10 seconds…
Captain Preston- (Yelling) Stop firing!!! For the love of God…Stop firing!! Do not fire!!
**All actors/actresses return to seats. Drop snowballs, muskets, club, coats…etc. at crime scene and return to seat**
Narrator- (after class is seated) The crowd scrambles away but when the scene is cleared 5 colonists lay dead in the street and 6 lay injured. The governor of Massachusetts Thomas Hutchinson has Preston and his men arrested that night. The colonists claim there has been a massacre in Boston.