From The Back Files: Ghana session, Battle of Trenton

During a recent international session, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School students from Mr. Wronko’s class did presentations on the Battle of Trenton for the students in Ghana.

Battle of Trenton

The Battle of Trenton was when George Washington led the Continental Army in a surprise attack against the Hessian garrison.

The Hessians were paid by the British to work with them against the American colonists and the Continental Army. All the students pointed out that George Washington needed to win this battle or the war for freedom would be lost.

The Crossing

To enhance the presentations, Mr. Wronko showed the students in Ghana clips from the movie The Crossing starring Jeff Daniels.

The students from Ghana along with Mr. Wronko’s students understood that if Washington’s men did not do a surprise attack, the Hessian garrison would be unbeatable. That was why a surprise attack had to be done.

Battle of Trenton

This battle occurred on December 26, 1776 in Trenton, New Jersey.  Doing presentations for this battle was perfect timing as the MLK students were leaving for winter break on December 23.

Questions from students on the Battle of Trenton

Besides the presentations, the students from Ghana asked many interesting questions regarding this battle:

If Washington did not win, what would of happened to Washington?

Did this victory make Americans believe that this Revolution could be won?

If Washington trained his men long enough, would they have been able to defeat the Hessian forces without a surprise attack?

How did the men fight after the long crossing of the Delaware River?

Why did Washington meet with Johan Gottlieb Rall?

What happened to the Hessian soldiers after this battle?

After this loss were more Hessian soldiers willing to fight with Great Britain?

If the Hessian soldiers were the ones that lost, why did this hurt Great Britain?

Why did Great Britain lose interest in the American Revolution?