Question

Paul Revere’s The Bloody Massacre was widely distributed through broadsides, almanacs, and newspapers. How would the colonists have reacted to this image and text? Why?

A. They would have been inspired to join the British troops.
B. They would have felt sympathetic toward the British soldiers.
C. They would have been outraged and further motivated to seek independence from British rule.
D. They would have been indifferent and unaffected by the image and text.

Answer 1

Colonists likely reacted to 'The Bloody Massacre' with outrage and were further motivated to seek independence from British rule, as the image served as propaganda to turn public sentiment against British tyranny.

Step-by-step explanation:

When colonists encountered Paul Revere’s “The Bloody Massacre,” which depicted the events of March 5, 1770, known as the Boston Massacre, it's likely that their reaction fell in line with Option C: They would have been 'outraged' and further motivated to seek independence from British rule.

The engraving and text distributed through broadsides, almanacs, and newspapers were forms of propaganda utilized by the Sons of Liberty to stir public sentiment against the British. This image portrayed the British soldiers as ruthless, firing into a crowd of unarmed civilians, a perspective that aligned with the fears of tyrannous government cited by the colonists.

The incident fueled a growing resistance movement, eventually leading to acts of defiance such as the Boston Tea Party and greater solidarity among Patriots in the American Revolution.