Summary
Nathan Hale, a young schoolteacher turned spy, is captured behind British lines and hanged — but not before declaring, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” James confronts the high price some ordinary people paid for the cause, and what it means to act on your beliefs.
Viewer safety
Deals with the capture and execution of a spy. Handled without graphic imagery, but emotionally serious — preview before showing.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Nathan Hale was only 21 when he was executed. His calm courage at the end made him one of the Revolution's first martyrs and a lasting symbol of sacrifice.
- What is a spy's job, and why is spying so dangerous?
- Hale said he regretted having only one life to give. What did he mean, and what does it tell you about his beliefs?
- Is it ever worth risking everything for an idea? How do people decide?
- How should we remember people who took great risks but whose missions failed?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: spy, intelligence, sacrifice, martyr, treason.
Try it: Write a short tribute (3–4 sentences) to someone — from history or your own life — who took a risk for something they believed in. Explain what they did and why it mattered.