Why Men in the Revolution Fought - 877 Words

Why Men Fought in the American Revolution â€Å"Why Men Fought in the American Revolution,† explains the reasons that American men decided to fight and risk their lives for their families and their beliefs. Robert L. Middlekauff lists his opinions in this excerpt of the many reasons men chose to fight against the British in the Revolutionary War. In â€Å"Why Men fought in the American Revolution,† MiddleKauff makes the argument that the American soldiers fought because their beliefs were reflected through their fighting. He shows that soldiers used their relationships to endure the fighting, felt a sense of responsibility to their family and to their country, and shows the false explanations that some believe to be true. Soldiers relied†¦show more content†¦Another incorrect explanation is the excessive believe in the Holy Spirit. Since the colonies were founded on Christian ideas there was obviously many prayers going out from the men, but they never thought that they were invincible to bullets or other weaponry. Robert Middlekauff even suggests that some believed the soldiers plundered the British corpses. Although it is not unheard of in combat, men must have fought for more than the chance to plunder the enemy. Why would anyone put so much at risk just to obtain trinkets? Some would suggest that the officers had to provide great amounts of alcohol to get the soldiers drunk. They argued that the soldiers had to be drunk in order to suppress their fear of the British Army. This is of course a ridiculous accusation. The American Militia did not fight for such trivial, fabricated reasons. In conclusion, Robert Middlekauff has proven his argument for why men in the American Revolution fought. He believed that soldier’s beliefs were portrayed through their fighting. He claims that the soldiers used their relationships with their comrades to help them through the fighting and to endure the violence. Middlekauff also points out their responsibility of the soldiers to protect their families as well as their country. He makes an argument to show that soldiers fought because of strong feelings of responsibility and independence. He discredits theories that mock the important values of the American soldiers such asShow MoreRelatedEssay about Killer Angels1119 Words   |  5 Pages Wars have been fought for many different reasons through the years, and that holds true for the American Civil War (1861-1865). In Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Killer Angels, the reasons for fighting the war are brought about through the officers and soldie rs at a famous battle site of the Civil War, Gettysburg. Gettysburg was one of the most documented battles of the whole war. 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