"shall a band of ten or twelve thousand robbers, who are this day fifteen hundred or two thousand men less in strength than they were yesterday, conquer america, or subdue even a single state? the thing cannot be, unless we sit down and suffer them to do it.
"in this excerpt, paine uses a rhetorical device to encourage readers to
feel anger and contempt for the british troops.
fear negative outcomes in future battles.
have a higher opinion of the british troops.
feel proud of american forces.