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The Boston Massacre

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Does history repeat itself? It certainly seems that way when looking at the Boston Massacre in 1770 and the shootings at Kent State University in 1970. There are quite a few similarities in each case. In both cases there are protests strong enough that authorities are brought in to try to maintain order. These groups are not well received and are harassed continually which leads to the tragic shootings. However, not all the circumstances are the same, but both are well remembered in American history.

The Boston Massacre was a result of tension between the American colonists and British soldiers stationed in Boston. The British Parliament had passed the Sugar Act in 1764 which enforced that the colonists pay duties on goods like coffee, molasses …show more content…
During this time in 1970, many people protested the war in Vietnam and the draft system that selected young men to serve in the army. By 1970 over one million soldiers had been sent to Vietnam and more than 50,000 had died. The nation was divided in their views about the war. On Thursday, April 1, 1970, President Nixon announced on TV that troops would be sent to Cambodia. This announcement meant more men would be drafted and caused many to protest. On Friday, May 1 students at Kent State began protesting. They painted anti-war slogans on buildings and buried the U.S. Constitution to symbolize it's "murder". That evening, many students went to downtown Kent where the protest continued. A bonfire was built in the street and about 400 people danced around it and twice as many watched on the sidewalk The atmosphere turned violent though; cars were attacked, store windows broken, and looting occurred. Kent's Mayor declared a state of civil emergency and Ohio's governor responded by alerting the National …show more content…
The jury charged 24 students and one faculty member with rioting, arson, and interfering with firemen. One year later, these charges were dropped. For the next eight years the case against the guardsmen was in and out of court. Finally in 1978 the victims settled out of court with the state of Ohio. Part of the settlement had 28 guardsmen sign a statement of regret. The events at Kent State were the single factor causing the only nationwide student strike in history. Four million students protested in the days following the shootings and 900 American colleges and universities closed.

In both of these cases, help was needed to bring protesters under control. The citizens of Boston were protesting treatment given to them by another country. The students at Kent were protesting treatment by their own country. In both cases the authorities that are brought in to restore order are not welcomed. Both groups are taunted and provoked, which led to violence. It is clear that the British soldiers in Boston had their lives in danger, but it's not so clear if the same is true for the guardsmen at Kent State. Of the students that were shot, none was closer than 71

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