The week of November 11th the Harrisonville Middle School eighth graders took the law into their own hands
as they staged a mock trial.
The Harrisonville
students studied the events of the Boston Massacre and
decided who really started the violence that night, the Redcoat soldiers or the
American Colonists.
To start the
project, Harrisonville students studied sources from the event, made their
arguments, and learned about courtroom procedures. They worked in groups to
create opening statements, introduce evidence, give witness testimony, question
and cross-examination witnesses, and give closing statements for their cases.
The trial took
place in the historic Cass County Courthouse. What a learning experience
for these students. Thank you to all that participated to make this dramatic
setting a reality.