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February 1, 1770 Boston Weekly Newspaper Leading Towards The Boston Massacre!

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,400.00 - 3,200.00 USD
February 1, 1770 Boston Weekly Newspaper Leading Towards The Boston Massacre!
American Revolution
February 1, 1770 “Massachusetts Gazette and Boston Weekly” Newspaper With Future “Boston Massacre” Importance!
February 1, 1770-Dated Colonial Pre “Boston Massacre” and Revolutionary War, Newspaper titled, “Massachusetts Gazette and Boston Weekly,“ being filled with historic “Tea” and Royal against American Colonist Tensions news, Very Fine.
This extremely historic and rare, original February 1st, 1770 Newspaper is reporting upon the current boycott of Tea and Governor Thomas Hutchinsons' famous “Illegal Meeting Letter. This weekly newspaper has full front page reporting that highlights the conflicts of the American Colonists and the Royal Governor. Such friction and tensions are what led to future incidents such as the “Boston Massacre, Tea Party on ... and ultimately the war. The “Boston Massacre,” called “The Incident on King Street” by the British, was an incident on March 5, 1770, in which British Army soldiers killed five civilian men. British troops had been stationed in Boston, capital of the Province of Massachusetts Bay.

Printed is Governor Hutchinson's letter to the Colonists denouncing their meeting as being illegal, and demanding them to stop. Printed is also a reply from the Colonists of Boston. Also, is an Official Resolution to Boycott the imported British Tea! Tensions were

high... and just about one short month later the “Boston Massacre” occurred. All of this history in the making being printed right upon the front page, and as reported and presented in the local Boston newspaper.

Being printed in Boston, this paper takes on extra special meaning and is of the utmost historic content and contemporary context of the day, reporting immediately as it was happening.


The Boston Massacre, called The Incident on King Street by the British, was an incident on March 5, 1770, in which British Army soldiers killed five civilian men. British troops had been stationed in Boston, capital of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, since 1768 in order to protect and support crown-appointed colonial officials attempting to enforce unpopular Parliamentary legislation. Amid ongoing tense relations between the population and the soldiers, a mob formed around a British sentry, who was subjected to verbal abuse and harassment. He was eventually supported by a small company of troops, who were subjected to verbal threats and thrown objects. They fired into the crowd, apparently without orders, instantly killing three people and wounding others. Two more people died later of wounds sustained in the incident.

The crowd eventually dispersed after Acting Governor Thomas Hutchinson promised an inquiry, but reformed the next day, prompting the withdrawal of the troops to Castle Island. Eight soldiers, one officer, and four civilians were arrested and charged with murder. Defended by Patriot lawyer John Adams, six of the soldiers were acquitted, while the other two were convicted of manslaughter and given reduced sentences. Depictions, reports, and propaganda about the event, notably the colored engraving produced by Paul Revere (shown at right), further heightened tensions throughout the Thirteen Colonies. The event is widely viewed as foreshadowing the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War just five years later.