Paul Revere ( 1734-1818), was an American silversmith and engraver. He was also a Patriot in the American Revolution and helped to develop an intelligence and alarm system to keep watch on the British military.
Paul Revere's historic engraving " The bloody massacre in King -Street" was produced just three weeks after that event. The Boston Massacre, on March 5, 1770, was a confrontation in which the British Army soldiers shot and killed five people.
This engraving was one of the most effective pieces of war propaganda in American history. Revere copied his engraving on that of artist Henry Pelham who was never recognized for this work.
Revere used his drawing to shape public opinion against the British imposers. The British soldiers were portrayed as brutal, aggressive and starting the fire which was a lie. The shooting was initiated by the colonists. The anti British propaganda is also shown in the way the faces of the involved were shown : the British faces are sharp and angular in contrast to American soft and innocent ones. This was done on purpose to make the British seem more menacing. There is also some symbolism in this engraving, again directed in contra of the British and implying their guilty part in the massacre ( a distressed woman, dogs, a sniper in the window, the dark sky etc. ). The message of this drawing was clear : the British were the enemy who provoked and killed innocent, peace loving American people.
