One of the most notorious names in history is Benedict Arnold, an American Revolutionary War leader, who is known for being the “traitor to his country.” Yet, without his courageous and heroic deeds in the fight against the British, the Americans may have not gained freedom. In Saratoga, New York, a monument is dedicated to Arnold’s contribution to the victory of the Battle of Saratoga; however, there is no name on the monument. Biographer James Kirby Martin once said, “The tragedy of Benedict Arnold is that his incredible acts … have been washed away and basically forgotten.” Although Benedict Arnold was once a respected and admirable leader of the Americans, he was branded as a selfish and unethical traitor after the Revolutionary War and his efforts towards the success of the Americans were often overlooked or forgotten.
Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741 in Norwich, Connecticut to wealthy merchants. When the family business went down due to his father’s drinking problem, Arnold had to drop out of school at age fourteen. Arnold was sent away to learn to become a shop apprentice. When he was twenty-one, Arnold completed his apprenticeship and went to New Haven, Connecticut to open his own drugstore. He soon sunk into debt and was forced to close his store. Then, he became a sea captain for the next ten years. He bought three ships and launched a trading business, trading horses from Canada for rum and molasses in the West Indies. He was eventually able to reopen his store in New Haven and became a member of the New Haven Masonic Lodge. However, British laws began placing heavy taxes on the colonists in order to pay for the colonial war. As a result, Arnold, like many other merchants, began smuggling goods on his sh...
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...m, of if he was a greedy traitor who stabbed the backs of his friends and abandoned the people who believed in him.
Works Cited
1. Gunderson, Jessica. Benedict Arnold: Battlefield Hero or Selfish Traitor? Minnesota: Fact Finder Capstone Press, 2003.
2. Wade, Mary Dodson. Benedict Arnold. United States of America: Franklin Watts, 1994.
3. Dell, Pamela. Benedict Arnold: From Patriot to Traitor. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Compass Point Books, 2005.
4. Gaines, Ann Graham. Benedict Arnold: Patriot or Traitor? Berkeley Heights, New Jersey: Enslow Publishers Inc., 2001.
5. Lutz, Norma Jean. Benedict Arnold: Traitor to the Cause. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 2001.
6. Technological Solutions, Inc. (TSI) "Biography for Kids: Benedict Arnold." Ducksters. June 2014. Web. (Accessed 12 June 2014). .
The Culper Spies were instrumental in providing Washington with excellent intelligence; yet the most important piece of information may have been the discovery of Benedict Arnold’s plot to give West Point to the British. Unfortunately, it is uncertain whether the spy ring actually played a significant part in the capture of Arnold’s co-conspirator, John Andre, and thus saving West Point from the British. This uncertainty is either due to a lack of ...
In 1776, David McCullough gives a vivid portrayal of the Continental Army from October 1775 through January 1777, with sharp focus on the leadership of America’s greatest hero, George Washington. McCullough’s thesis is that had not the right man (George Washington) been leading the Continental Army in 1776, the American Revolution would have resulted in a vastly different outcome. He supports his argument with a critical analysis of Washington’s leadership during the period from the Siege of Boston, through the disastrous defense of New York City, the desperate yet, well ordered retreat through New Jersey against overwhelming odds, and concludes with the inspiring victories of Trenton and Princeton. By keeping his army intact and persevering through 1776, Washington demonstrated to the British Army that the Continental Army was not simply a gang of rabble, but a viable fighting force. Additionally, Mr. McCullough supports his premise that the key to the survival of the American Revolution was not in the defense of Boston, New York City, or any other vital terrain, but rather the survival of the Continental Army itself. A masterful piece of history, 1776 is not a dry retelling of the Revolutionary War, but a compelling character study of George Washington, as well as his key lieutenants, and his British adversaries, the most powerful Army in the 18th Century world. When I read this book, I went from a casual understanding of the hero George Washington to a more specific understanding of why Washington was quite literally the exact right man at the exact right place and time to enable the birth of the United States.
The 307 pages of The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin are filled with non-stop action and adventure. The book tells the stories of Benedict Arnold and John Andre. The story started with Arnold’s family history and what Arnold did before joining the military. In the years leading up to Benedict joining the military he had a successful business, he married and had three boys. The story progresses on to tell the details of Arnold’s military life. Just after he conquered Fort Ti, he had to leave for home because his wife passed away. Sheinkin now introduces John Andre. The rest of the story changes between the story of Arnold and Andre. Once Andre enters the story he stays until his death is explained, the same is for Arnold.
Washington's dedication to the cause of the American Revolution inspired and impressed everyone. He was a great general, and astute politician, and a symbol of the cause for independence. He was a master in the art of war. Bibliography:.. Bibliography Handel, Michael I. Masters of War.
During the War for American Independence, 78 men were commissioned as general officers into the Continental Army by the Continental Congress. Many of these generals commanded troops with differing levels of competence and success. George Washington is typically seen as most important general, however throughout the war a number of his subordinates were able to distinguish themselves amongst their peers. One such general was Nathanael Greene. At the end of the Revolutionary War, Greene would become Washington’s most important subordinate, as demonstrated by Edward Lengel’s assessment of Greene as “the youngest and most capable of Washington’s generals.” Washington and Greene developed a strong, positive and close relationship between themselves. Greene began his life in the military after having been raised a Quaker. With limited access to literature and knowledge in his younger years, Greene became an avid reader which equipped him with the knowledge necessary to excel as a general during the war. Through his devoted study of military operations, firsthand experience and natural abilities as a soldier, Greene became an excellent military commander. He would become known for his successful southern campaign, during which, he loosened British control of the South and helped lead the war to its climax at Yorktown. Throughout the war, he was involved in a number high profile battles where he built a reputation of being an elite strategist who also understood unconventional warfare, logistics, and the importance of military-civil affairs and had a natural political/social acumen. The thesis of this paper is that Greene’s proven reputation of being a soldier, strategist and statesman would cause him to become the second greates...
Known for his betrayl against the Continental Army, Benedict Arnold is most remembered for becoming a turncoat during the Revolutionary War. But, before switiching sides Benedict was a strong military leader and an excellent soldier. And, on both sides of the war, Benedict had great victories. Through his patriotic and traitorous acts, Benedict Arnold helped shape the course of the American Revolution.
...ith British Major John André to reveal secret defenses of West Point, New York for money and command in the British Army. This attempt to leak information to the enemy side failed due to British Major John André getting captured in September of 1780 and getting hanged in October. Knowing that his collaborator was captured with papers incriminating him for treason, Arnold escaped to the British side before the patriots could seize him.
The book I read is “Benedict Arnold” by Mary Dodson Wade. This book is a biography about Benedict Arnold. It states Benedict’s childhood. Afterwards it shows how he met his wife and started his business. Also, it talks about how Arnold betrays the Americans. Finally it talks about his experience in the independence.
Del Testa, David W., Florence Lemoine, and John Strickland. Government Leaders, Military Rulers, and Political Activists. Westport, Conn: Oryx Press, 2001. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost (accessed November 10, 2013).
During the Revolutionary War, Aaron and I accompanied General Benedict Arnold's expedition into Canada in 1775, a difficult trek of over 500 miles in the middle of winter. Upon arriving before the Battle of Quebec, we were sent up the St. Lawrence River to make contact with General Richard Montgomery, who had taken Montreal, and escort him to Quebec. Montgomery liked the Aaron, and promoted him to Captain and added him to his staff as an aide-de-camp. After Montgomery was killed and the advance party thrown into confusion, Burr single-handedly gathered some of the soldiers and began an attack on the British lines. Overwhelmed by cannon fire, we were forced to retreat. Burr carried the body of Montgomery a short distance before retreating from the field. Our courage made us a national hero and earned us a place on Washington's staff in Manhattan, but we quit after two weeks because we wanted to return to the field.
The Marquis de Lafayette is best remembered for the part he played in the American War of Independence. He contributed in helping the Americans gain free control over the colonies by breaking away from British home rule. For sixty years he fought with consistency and insight for political ideals and social reforms that have dominated the history of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Hence, Lafayette can be attributed to the spreading of liberty and freedom throughout America and France. Therefore, he is viewed as a symbol of liberalism in a once absolutist world.
Phillips, L. (2014, February 16). The Drudgery of Treason. Retrieved April 10, 2014, from http://theintermediateperiod.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/
... Bobrick, Benson. Fight for Freedom: The American Revolutionary War. New York: Atheneum, 2004. Print.
Adams, Jerome R. Liberators and Patriots of Latin America. Jefferson, NC and London: McFarland & Company Inc., Publishers, 1991. Print.
Newton, Jim. Justice for All: Earl Warren and the Nation He Made. New York: Riverhead, 2006. Print.