Answer:
He referenced it because it helped him prove his point and that the nations values that they where built on where not in jeopardy.
Explanation:
The model headstone Atkinson has just finished carving bears Withencroft's full name, his date of birth, and that very day as the date of his death.
<em>It shows that even though many years have passed, tradition is still passed down through out decendants, and so is our knowledge. It shows that even though theres been years of our race evoling, we still remeber what happend that long ago. We still can connect with out roots through our knowledge. </em>