Final answer:
Based on the information provided, the specific number of handsbreadths the medicine men raised the sun cannot be determined. However, they likely played a role in religious ceremonies such as the Sun Dance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question does not provide enough information to determine the exact number of handsbreadths the medicine men raised the sun.
However, based on the provided information about the Plains culture and their religious ceremonies, it is likely that the medicine men played a significant role in rituals such as the Sun Dance, which involved the erection of a large structure with a central pole symbolizing the Tree of Life. These ceremonies were performed to give thanks, celebrate, pray, and fast, and often involved self-sacrifice, bloodletting, or self-torture.
The goal of these ceremonies was to renew the world and establish kin relations. The medicine men may have raised their hands during these rituals, but the specific measurement of handsbreadths is not mentioned in the provided information.