Was It Murder or Self-Defense?
Put students in the jury box with a DBQ built on conflicting primary sources and make them decide whether Captain Thomas Preston was responsible for the Boston Massacre. 
 
This document-based question (DBQ) simulation places students at the center of the 1770 trial following the Boston Massacre. Using five conflicting primary source eyewitness accounts, students analyze source bias and perspective before reaching a verdict.

Students complete a structured evidence chart, compare contradictions between testimonies, and write an evidence-based decision supported by the documents. The activity mirrors real historical inquiry by forcing students to evaluate sources rather than rely on hindsight.

This is a rigorous, courtroom-style primary source investigation designed to strengthen analytical writing and historical reasoning.

What’s Included
Five primary source eyewitness accounts
Structured DBQ evidence analysis chart
Jury deliberation questions
Evidence-based verdict writing prompt
Teacher guide 
Answer key
 
What Students Will Learn
Analyze primary source testimony for bias and reliability
Compare conflicting eyewitness accounts
Evaluate evidence within a DBQ framework
Construct a supported CER verdict 
Explain how political tension shaped interpretation of events

 
Grades: 7–12
Duration: 1–2 Class Periods
DOK Level: 3
Format: Printable DBQ + Primary Source Simulation