The Boston Massacre: Why John Adams Defended the Redcoats

The Boston Massacre was more than a deadly clash in the streets of Boston on March 5, 1770. It became a battle over truth, justice, and public opinion that helped push the colonies closer to the American Revolution. In this episode of Road to Liberty, watch how John Adams defended the British soldiers in court while Samuel Adams tried the same event before the people of Boston.

Who was Crispus Attucks? Why did the crowd confront the redcoats? Why did John Adams risk his reputation to defend men hated across Boston? And how did Paul Revere’s engraving turn one violent night into one of the most powerful pieces of propaganda in American history? This is the story of the Boston Massacre, the trial that followed, and the fight to control what the event would mean for the future of liberty in America.

The shots on King Street did not begin the war. But they gave the colonies something almost as powerful: a story no one could ignore.

🔔 New to the channel? Road to Liberty is our cinematic series where historic paintings come alive to tell the stories of the most important events that led from colonial unrest to American independence—from the French and Indian War and the Stamp Act, through Boston, Lexington & Concord, and the Declaration of Independence, to even beyond the decisive victory of Yorktown.

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