Quote by Captain John Knox in French and Indian War with accompanying common core questions

1. Primary Sources
French and Indian War
Quote from
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials
/connections/france-america/history4.html Questions fromA. Barnette 2013

2. Captain Knox describes the difference between
fighting styles of French and British:
 Upon our
, they [the French]
turned out their floats, and
ranged them in great order;
their cavalry then
, formed on the
right of the infantry, and
their whole detachment ran
down the with a
ridiculous shout, and
manned their works.
 What does “coming to
an anchor” mean?
 If cavalry are soldiers
on horses, what does
dismounted mean?
 If the infantry is the
group of regular soldiers
on foot, what is the
whole detachment?
 Can you tell from
context clues what a
precipice is?

3.  I have often reflected
upon the of this
practice in the French, who
in the art of
war; there is nothing that
can be more than
such noises in engaging an
enemy . . .
 What do you think
absurd/absurdity means
in this passage?
 Sane
 Ridiculous
 Reasonable
Put “entertain a high
opinion of their own
discipline and
knowledge” into
today’s language.

4.  How different, how nobly ,
and expressive of true is the
custom of the British troops! They
do not expend their ammunition at
an immense distance; and, if they
advance to engage, or stand to
receive the charge, they are steady,
profoundly silent, and attentive,
reserving their fire until they have
received that of their adversaries . .
experience plainly shews us, that
the troops, who, in perfect silence,
engage an enemy, waiting for their
first fire, will always
. –John Knox
 What do you think he
means by “awful” in
describing the British?
 Valour is spelled valor
today, and it means
bravery. What does
Knox say that the
British troops do to
show their bravery?
 What does Knox mean
when he says that
these actions preserve
a superiority?
 For fun: Draw the
scene Knox describes.