Boston: The Home of Weird Weather and History

Old State House in the Sunlight
There are very few places on Earth where the weather can go from 55 and sunny to 27 and snowing within 48 hours, but Boston has always been one of them. In fact, it was this kind of weather that made it so hard for the pilgrims that first settled here to survive the long, harsh, and completely bizarre winters of New England. However, Boston is not only known for its strange weather but also for its rich history, and one of the most unfortunate events in Boston history actually occurred exactly 246 years ago tomorrow on March 5, 1770. This tragic event, which is known as the Boston Massacre, played a large role in beginning the American Revolution, but even though it was an infamous event at the time, it has largely been forgotten by textbooks and the average person alike.

Fortunately, if you would like to explore Boston’s history and learn about one of the key catalysts of the American Revolution, you’re in luck because it just so happens that there is a Boston Massacre Commemoration and Reenactment this weekend. This event, which is scheduled to take place from 11:00 A.M. to approximately 8:00 P.M. on the anniversary of the event (tomorrow, March 5, 2016), will allow you and your children to see what the daily lives of the citizens of Boston and British soldiers within Boston would have been like at the time, watch a reenactment of the trial of the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre, and see a reenactment of the Massacre itself. Best of all, the event is completely free for children 18 and under and is completely free for adults with the exception of the trial (space for the Trial of the Century is limited, and admission to the trial is included in admission to the Old State House.) For more information on the Boston Massacre Commemoration and Reenactment, which will take place in and around the Old State House in Boston, please visit the Bostonian Society’s Old State House Events page.

Photo credit: Kinchan1 via Foter.com / CC BY

Exploring a Little Piece of American History

A photograph of a famous poster depicting the events that occurred on March 5, 1770.
A photograph of a famous poster depicting the Boston Massacre.
The Old State House as it appears today.
The Old State House as it appears today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chances are, if you know anything about American History, you’ve probably heard of the Boston Tea Party. In fact, if you went to school anywhere in the United States, you probably had the story of a group of grown men dressed as Native Americans throwing tea overboard drilled into your head over and over again. However, even if you are familiar with the famous tea-related event that played a significant role in the years leading up to American Revolution, you may not be familiar with one of the other events that actually increased tensions between Great Britain and the colonies long before the tea went into the sea. Now, I know what you’re thinking. What event could he possibly be talking about?

Well, I’m talking about the Boston Massacre, and if you have no idea what the Boston Massacre is, you’re not alone. It is definitely one of the events in American History that is not widely taught in our schools. Fortunately, if you are interested in learning about the Boston Massacre and you are in the Boston area on Saturday (March 8, 2014), there is a group at the Old State House that will teach you everything that you could possibly want to know about this unfortunate incident and what actually happened on March 5, 1770. This is because the Old State House with the assistance of a dedicated team of re-enactors will be reenacting not only the incident in which five innocent civilians were killed and six civilians injured by British Soldiers, but also the trial that followed the massacre. For more information on the reenactment of the trial, which is scheduled for 11:30 A.M. and 2:00 P.M., and the reenactment of the Boston Massacre, which is scheduled for 7:00 P.M., please visit the Bostonian Society website.

If a reenactment of the Boston Massacre doesn’t really sound like your kind of thing, but you really would like to immerse yourself in some history, you may want to check out the USS Constitution Museum’s Best of the Best 2014 Ship Model Show. This exhibit, which is sponsored by the USS Constitution Museum and the USS Constitution Model Shipwright Guild, will give you and your family the opportunity to see over 100 model ships that are painstakingly handcrafted to show every detail of the actual ship. In fact, you will not only be able to see models of ships from a number of different time periods, but also be able to meet the people that built the models, see how each of the models are actually created and restored, and even purchase your own model ship kit. For more information on the Best of the Best 2014 Ship Model Show, which runs every day from now until March 22, 2014, please visit the USS Constitution Museum’s Exhibit page.

Boston Massacre Poster Photo credit: denisbin / Foter / CC BY-ND
Old State House Photo credit: ericodeg / Foter / CC BY-SA