Get Ready to Learn
Welcome Little Patriots to the American Revolution!
Before we begin diving into why Faith, Liberty, Community, and Life mattered to the brave American men and women who fought for our freedom. We are going to learn about a little-known group called the Hessians! Many people do not know about the Hessians, but they played a huge role in the winning of our independence! Please take a moment to watch our latest Star Spangled Adventures episode, and look through the facts below to learn more about the Hessians. Time to start learning!
The Hessians were not English, American, or even Native American soldiers, but rather German soldiers who at first fought on the side of the British! They were what people call mercenaries, which is a fancy word for saying they would fight for other countries that would pay them. However, the Hessians had a bad Prince who would make them fight for other countries but would keep most of their money for himself! The actions of this unpopular prince would later help the Americans sway many of the Hessians to their side! The Hessians had fought with the British before! They had fought for the British all the way back in 1688 in the 9 years war!
Let’s Experiment: Try out this fun activity below.
The first shot of the American Revolution is known as “the shot heard round the world.”
Do you think someone can really hear a gunshot on the other side of the world?
Let’s experiment!
- Grab a parent, a sibling, or a friend and have them stay in one room with the door closed.
- Go into the next room and start clapping as loud as you can! Can they hear it?
- If so, keep moving further and further away. See how far you can get until they can’t hear you clapping anymore!
So, if someone can’t really hear a gunshot on the other side of the world, why do you think the first shot of the American Revolution is known as “the shot heard round the world”?
Take a guess and we’ll revisit this question at the end of the lesson!
