The most famous of all colonial American prints, this engraving records an infamous moment in history. On March 5, 1770, an angry Boston mob, resentful over new taxes, provoked a group of English soldiers. Five people were killed in the ensuing skirmish. Revere’s version of the event depicts a firing squad of British redcoats brutally gunning down helpless Bostonians. Historically biased, Revere’s print became a powerful propaganda tool.

Paul Revere, Jr., "The Bloody Massacre," 1770, hand-colored line engraving and etching on laid paper, the Bayou Bend Collection, gift of the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation.