Reflection Starter from John Adams

"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." - John Adams, 'Argument in Defense of the Soldiers in the Boston Massacre Trials,' December 1770

Background information:

The Boston Massacre was the killing of five colonists by soldiers of the British army on 5 March 1770. It occurred after a period of heightened tension in the American colonies that had been growing since these soldiers first appeared in Massachusetts in October 1768 to enforce the heavy tax burden imposed by the Townshend Acts. These laws included taxes on paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea that were imported into the colonies and gave customs officials broad powers to search houses and businesses for smuggled goods.

For more information about the Boston Massacre and the Townshend Acts, please visit:

Boston Massacre Historical Society

Independence Hall Association: The Townshend Revenue Act

Independence Hall Association: The Boston Massacre