U.S. History STAAR ( State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) Practice Test

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Study for the U.S. History STAAR Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each question accompanied by hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


Who urged the troops by saying, "Dig men, dig for your lives"?

  1. William Prescott

  2. John Adams

  3. Samuel Adams

  4. George Washington

The correct answer is: William Prescott

The statement "Dig men, dig for your lives" is attributed to William Prescott during the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. Prescott was a colonial military officer and played a key role in rallying the American forces as they prepared to defend against the British army. His call to dig trenches highlights the urgency and desperation of the situation, signaling to the troops that they needed to fortify their position quickly in order to stand a chance against the better-trained British soldiers. This action reflected the broader strategies used by colonial forces to counteract the disadvantages they faced in terms of equipment and experience. Options referring to John Adams, Samuel Adams, and George Washington involve significant figures in American history, but they were not directly responsible for this specific inspirational quote during the Battle of Bunker Hill. John Adams was a leader in advocating for independence, Samuel Adams was known for his role in organizing resistance against British policies, and George Washington was the commander of the Continental Army and pivotal in the overall war strategy but did not utter this particular phrase during the battle.