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Question: History qeustion help please!?
"My men, yonder are the hessians!. They were bought for seven pounds and ten pence a man!. Are you worth more!? Prove it!. Tonight the American flag floats yonder hill or Molly Stark sleeps a widow!."-General John Stark, August 1777
1!. What is general stark saying about the Hessians!? What is he asking his own troops!? What is the meaning of the last sentence!?
2!. How does the last sentence illustrate one of the reasons why the Americans were able to defeat the British in the revloution!? Support you answer with details!.
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Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
He was saying that the lives and abilities of the Hessian troops were worth only 7 pounds 10 pence to the British who paid for them!. That the American solders should prove they were worth far more than that in money and spirit!. He is asking them if they think/know they are far better solders than the Hessian!. The last sentence is saying that he and his men will win the battle and take the hill or he will die trying!. Thus if he dies she will be sleeping alone as his widow!. It shows that the Americans had more to loose than just their lives!. They were fighting for their rights and the idea of freedom and they were willing to win at any cost or die trying!. The British did not have as much to lose!. They would die but England was in no real danger!. Their way of life and so on was safe, their loved ones were safe and far from the battles that were raging in America!. The American solders were not as lucky their loved ones were having to live with war all around them and in danger!. This was a motivator for the Americans to beat the British!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
Here's my take on it!.!.!.
1) He is saying that the Hessians are soldiers fighting only for money!. They are mercenaries!. He is asking his own troops whether they are fighting for something that is worth more than seven pounds and ten pence!. Since his troops would have been fighting for their lives, freedom, their family's freedom, etc!. they would have had a much greater will to fight and win than the Hessian, who are fighting only for the pay they will receive if they live!. With the final sentence, he is saying that either the Americans will win the day or they will die trying!.
2) During the American Revolution, the Americans were fighting for their very lives!. For those who fought, it was fight or die!. If they lost, they would once again find themselves under the boot of British tyranny, if they weren't hung for treason!. The British, however, were fighting to keep the colonists' tax revenue flowing or, in some minds, the prestige of having a larger empire!. A soldier from the British army is not facing the end of the world if his side loses!. The Americans, on the other hand, are fighting for everything they hold dear, and, as such, will fight that much harder!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Stark said this as he was attacking the Hessians at the Battle of Bennington!. He was describing how the Hessians were mercenaries!. The Hessians were of Germanic origin and were hired with money (In the text: each mercenary was worth 7 pounds/ 10 pence a man)!. The fact that they were fighting merely for money made General Stark ask, "Are you worth more!? Prove it"!. The Hessians only motivation was the money and the Americans actually had a cause to fight for (independence), so Stark asks "is our cause worth more than theirs!? Prove it"!. The last sentence is saying that, tonight, the American flag floats yonder hill (the American flag will prevail/victory over the Hessians; the hill was were the Baum's men, the enemy, were situated) - if not, Molly Stark (his wife) would sleep as a widow (husbandless/ victory or death)!.
The last sentence was an example of how determined the Americans were!. To the British, all the colonies meant was money and status!. To the Americans, it meant their liberty, lives and happiness!. The side with the more passion and determination generally may do better than the side that did not have a stronger motivation!. This quote kind of reflects the whole thing, British colonies for money v!.s!. the American cause!.
By the way, the Hessians were heavy drinkers!. The classic example of this was when Washington crossed the Delaware river!. It was during Christmas, so naturally, the Hessians were ridiculously drunk!. Washington executed a successful surprise attack attack against a bunch of drunk and unaware Hessians!. I am not sure if they were drunk during the battle of Bennington, but that was just their nature!.Www@QuestionHome@Com