Massacre Day was a holiday in Boston, Massachusetts, from 1771 to 1783. It was held on March 5, the anniversary of the 1770 Boston Massacre.

History

Each year, a featured speaker would deliver an oration to commemorate the massacre. The speech would subsequently be printed. James Lovell delivered the first speech in 1771. Dr.

Joseph Warren Joseph Warren (June 11, 1741 – June 17, 1775), a Founding Father of the United States, was an American physician who was one of the most important figures in the Patriot movement in Boston during the early days of the American Revolution, ...

delivered the Massacre Day oration in 1772 and 1775, expounding on conflicts with Native Americans and "the same almighty being who protected your pious and venerable forefathers, who enabled them to turn a barren wilderness into a fruitful field, who so often made bare his arms for their salvation, will still be mindful of you their offspring." Benjamin Church was the featured speaker in 1773, followed the next year by

John Hancock John Hancock ( – October 8, 1793) was an American Founding Father, merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor o ...

. In emotional language, the early speeches reminded listeners of the occupation of Boston and the 1770 massacre while touching upon themes such as the dangers of

standing armies A standing army is a permanent, often professional, army. It is composed of full-time soldiers who may be either career soldiers or conscripts. It differs from army reserves, who are enrolled for the long term, but activated only during wars or n ...

in times of peace and opposition to the policies of the British parliament that the speakers believed violated the rights of the colonists. The final observance of Massacre Day was in 1783. With the end of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

and the securing of American independence, the

Boston Board of Selectmen The Boston Board of Selectmen was the governing board for the town of Boston from the 17th century until 1822. Selectmen were elected to six-month terms early in the history of the board, but later were elected to one-year terms. In colonial days ...

thought it was appropriate to replace the holiday with Independence Day, held on July 4 in honor of the Declaration of Independence. The final oration was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Thomas Welch and focused on the dangers of armies being garrisoned in cities.Travers, Len. ''Celebrating the Fourth: Independence Day and the Rites of Nationalism in the Early Republic.''

University of Massachusetts Press The University of Massachusetts Press is a university press that is part of the University of Massachusetts Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts a ...

, 1999.

References

{{reflist

External links

Text of the 1772 speech by Joseph Warren
1770s in the Thirteen Colonies Holidays related to the American Revolution Massachusetts in the American Revolution Culture of Boston March observances

History

See also

References

External links