Exploring American History, Wednesday, September 4, 2024
Wednesday, September 4th, 2024 12:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Well, why not start off with a bang and a portal trip out to Massachusetts? More specifically, to Bunker Hill.
"Hello, everyone! I'm Tony Stark," Tony began before glancing over to Steve.
"And I'm Steve Rogers," Steve said with a earnest-to-slightly-dorky wave at the students. "I'm also known as Captain America in some universes." And that almost explained their US History class! "Welcome to Massachusetts. Thirteen colonies on the North American continent that we now call the United States of America declared their independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776. This national park is a monument to the Battle of Bunker Hill, which took place more than a year before that."
"While this battle was considered a victory for British forces, it marked a turning point in how seriously both the rebelling colonists and British took the rebellion due to the higher number of casualties on the British side," Tony added. "It's also said to be the battle where someone told the rebels: 'Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes.'"
"Which is pretty good advice when you were firing a rifle made in the 1700s," Steve admitted. "They only worked half the time. Of the 2400 British soldiers and Marines in the battle, more than a thousand were killed or wounded. The rebels only had about 1200 fighters. So while tactically, yes, the British retained this hill at the end of the battle, the morale of the undefeated British Empire took a significant hit. It also led the colonies to realize that they might just be good enough shots to give a full-scale revolution a try."
"So, let's explore both the museum and then onto the monument itself," Tony suggested.
"Hello, everyone! I'm Tony Stark," Tony began before glancing over to Steve.
"And I'm Steve Rogers," Steve said with a earnest-to-slightly-dorky wave at the students. "I'm also known as Captain America in some universes." And that almost explained their US History class! "Welcome to Massachusetts. Thirteen colonies on the North American continent that we now call the United States of America declared their independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776. This national park is a monument to the Battle of Bunker Hill, which took place more than a year before that."
"While this battle was considered a victory for British forces, it marked a turning point in how seriously both the rebelling colonists and British took the rebellion due to the higher number of casualties on the British side," Tony added. "It's also said to be the battle where someone told the rebels: 'Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes.'"
"Which is pretty good advice when you were firing a rifle made in the 1700s," Steve admitted. "They only worked half the time. Of the 2400 British soldiers and Marines in the battle, more than a thousand were killed or wounded. The rebels only had about 1200 fighters. So while tactically, yes, the British retained this hill at the end of the battle, the morale of the undefeated British Empire took a significant hit. It also led the colonies to realize that they might just be good enough shots to give a full-scale revolution a try."
"So, let's explore both the museum and then onto the monument itself," Tony suggested.