Benedict Arnold used to be a great American general. He helped the colonists win many of the battles. However, on his deathbed, he said; “Let me die in this old uniform in which I fought my battles. May God forgive me for ever putting on another.”. Benedict was once a great American general, so why did he say this? Benedict Arnold was known as one of the greatest traitors of America because he switched sides mid-war for money and glory, gave away important locations of supply drops and troops to the British, and surrendered many of the American forts.
Benedict Arnold was born on Jan. 4, 1741 to Capt. Benedict and Hannah King Arnold. At the age of fourteen, he became the apprentice to a firm of druggists. He enlisted for the militia at the
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age of 16 and ran away twice to fight in the French and Indian War during his apprentice times, he eventually did finish his apprenticeship. Arnold first became a druggist and bookseller and was very successful. Later, in 1774, he became a captain in the Connecticut militia. He became a member of the Son of Liberty and quickly became irritated with all of the British trade restrictions and taxes. When the Revolutionary war broke out in 1775, he participated in the war as a militia captain Arnold and his militia followed many of the early battles at Lexington and Concord.
Later that year, he partnered with Ethan Allen, a frontiersmen,to seize Fort Ticonderoga in New York. In 1775, Arnold was passed over for promotion.In 1777, Arnold was passed over for promoton again, which disappointed Benedict as the five people that did gain promoted had less senority than Arnold. Arnold was talked out of leaving the army by George Washington. Later in May 1777, Arnold was finally promoted by Congress for his bravery. Arnold then led many invasions to Canada, where some of the British forts were. During one of the invasions, Arnold partnered with General Montgomery and attempted an assault on Quebec. The assault was unsuccessful and Arnold received a severe leg injury, he had to be carried off the battlefield. Due to his courageous attempt, Arnold was promoted to brigadier general. After this, Arnold served under General Horatio Gates. In the Battle of Saratoga, Arnold convinced Gates to attack Burgoyne’s army while they were down, which led to Burgoyne surrendering his army. Gates received most of the credit for the surrender of Burgoyne, which further more angered Arnold. Arnold often felt that he did not receive the recognition that he deserved and threatened to resign from the …show more content…
army. After the British withdrew from Philadelphia in 1778, Washington appointed Arnold the commander of Philadelphia. While commanding, he also married Peggy Shippen, which gave him a very good social status, but made him not very wealthy. He was not a good commander. He was criticised for living extravagantly. He also was accused for being too gentle with people that opposed independence with England and using the military for his own personal good. The court cleared Arnold of many charges, but had Washington reprimand him. He was then put as the commander for the fort at West Point, which is an important fort. Arnold felt that while on the American side, there was injustice, the tyranny of Congress. Arnold made excuses that he feared the French alliance and disliked independence. He went to New York to contact the British. The British accepted Arnold’s offer of service and the they offered him triple pay and for him to become a high ranking general in the British army. He accepted this offer, and quickly demanded ten thousand pounds for the expected loss of property and other assets. He started working out plans to surrender Fort West Point to British commander Sir Henry Clinton for twenty thousand pounds. He purposely drained supplies, weakened defenses, and denied repairs for the fort. He also gave away troop and supply depot locations to the British. Arnold also helped the British destroy Fort Griswold and Trumbull. John Andres, who was the messenger between Clinton and Arnold, was captured, they found plans inside of Andres’ shoe, which exposed Arnold’s act. Arnold escaped to New York where he became a brigadier general in the British army. Washington tried to capture Arnold, but the attempt was unsuccessful. As a British general, he led expeditions that ruined Richmond, Virginia, and New London, Connecticut After the war was over, Arnold demanded twenty thousand pounds for the losses for joining the British army.
Instead, he only obtained one third of his demand, six thousand three hundred and fifteen pounds. He moved to England, where the king warmly welcomed him, but others hated him as they still distrusted him due to his patriotic roots. The British government granted him thirteen thousand four hundred acres of land in Canada. This land was little use to Arnold, as he spent most of time in the Caribbean Islands trade. He lived very solemnly as he was very discouraged and distrusted. He did not earn very much money through his trades and was burdened with
debt. Although he was a great leader, and helped win many battles against the British, Benedict Arnold is known as one of the greatest the traitors in American history for helping the British during the American Revolution. He gave away troop positions and supply depot positions. He purposely let the British take over forts, and even helped them take over forts. He did all of this just because of wealth and glory. Benedict Arnold could have been one of the greatest American generals, but his treacherous betrayal has led him to become one of the greatest traitors in American history.
The spies were tasked with acquiring and passing information to General Washington concerning British activity in and around New York. 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 available information or differing accounts concerning the role of the Culper Spies.... ... middle of paper ...
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.
The argument over Arnold’s place in American history has carried into this century. All the Americans relate George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson as their heroes, but there is a debate whether Benedict Arnold was a victim or a traitor. Arnold was a general during the American Revolutinary War, and he fought for the Continental Army. His name became synonymous with the word traitor. Benedict Arnold was a Revolutionary Hero that had a huge effect on succeeding in the war. He had motivated a lot of soldiers during the war with his victorious discourses, and battles. Determination could be one of the most important reasons why the Patriots won the war, and had a chance to create their own country. These days, kids are in school are familiar with Benedict Arnold as a hero, but the Congress at that time did not deliberate him as a hero. In fact, the facts are proving that Arnold looked like a traitor, but he was actually a victim of circumstances because he was not respected as much as the other generals, he had fought for the Continental Army, and lastly he had never thought of betraying to his country.
Arnold Palmer was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on September 10, 1929. Growing up, Arnold had two siblings. Arnold’s mother’s name was Doris Palmer. He was born into a golfing household, with his father, Deacon Palmer, as the greens keeper and teaching professional at the Latrobe Country Club. Palmer learned much of what he knows about the game from his father, who made a set of clubs for Arnold when the boy was three years old.
There has been six Benedict Arnolds including the traitor of the United States of America. The first Benedict Arnold sailed from New England to New Port, Rode Island, the second became a barrel maker, the second became the colonies House Deputies several times, the fourth was a barrel maker, the fifth died as an infant, and the sixth was born on January 14, 1741, one of the coldest January in the Northeast and was not expected to live through the bitter cold winter. His parents were Benedict Arnold and Hannah Arnold (wife of Absalom King).
Benedict Arnold was born on January 14th, 1741 in Norwich, Connecticut. His father was a businessman and anticipated that his son would be equally as successful. Three of Arnold’s siblings died from diphtheria, so his father began drinking heavily and lost his job. The family fell on hard financial times (Benedict).
In 1775, Benedict Arnold had taken his first victory-Fort Ticonderoga. The Battle of the fort occured on May 10, 1775. Arnold and four-hundred soldiers stood opposite of the fort on Lake Champlain and waited for the scouting units to return (CIA). When they had returned, they told Benedict that the fort had only housed fourty-nine British soldiers, a megar amount compared to Benedict's. But the scouts had also noted that there were only two boats that could transport Benedict and his soldiers, therefore only a hundred or so men actually particapted in the capturing of Fort Ticonderoga (History Ticonderoga). Benedict still wanted to suprise the soldiers, so they attacked Ticonderoga's south gate, where only one sentry was stationed. Benedict damanded their surround once they had rose from their sleep. The British troops complied and the fort was won with no casualties and not a single shot fired (CIA). With the fort under the patriots control, the army gained a hundred cannons that the army despreately needed (fourty-three of which were transported and used by General Knox against the British at Boston) and a passage from New York into Canada( History Ticonderoga)which led Benedict to his next military excersion.
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...
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.
Jim Murphy’s The Real Benedict Arnold went in-depth and described in a detailed manner the life of Benedict Arnold. Murphy’s purpose of writing this book about Benedict Arnold was to expose some of the rumors and folktales that have been added to Benedict Arnold’s life so that we can see him in fair and objective way. He wanted to state the facts pertaining to Benedict Arnold’s life and help the reader obtain a more thorough understanding of who Benedict was and the motivations that led to his treasonous schemes. Although, he lacked key documents from Benedict’s life, he still provided an accurate account that allowed readers to gain a better understanding of Benedict’s life, the reasons behind why he became a traitor, and the truth behind the lies that slandered Benedict’s name.
In the Battle of Saratoga Horatio Gates along with Benedict Arnold defeated John Burgoyne. Arnold and Gates erected formidable defenses immediately South of Stillwater and then forced the British Army to surrender. This defeat revealed the failure of British strategy. This victory also helped convince France that it could safely enter the war on the American side.
“If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the new stand side by side...when the glories of the old can be compensated by the rich possibilities of the new era? This time...is a very good one.”
In his second argument, he stated, “My honesty and industriousness are well known among my Japanese and American friends. In name Benedict Arnold was an American, but at heart he was a traitor. In name I am not an American, but at heart I am a true American.” The court came to the decision that Ozawa could not become a citizen. The court said that based on the best known “science” of the time, he was not a caucasian, and instead of Mongolian decent.
James A. Garfield was an outstanding man of many endeavors who went from driving boats down the canal to become a general of the union army to the twentieth president of the United States of America (The American Heritage Book of the Presidents and Famous Americans). James A. Garfield was against slavery and had great plans for reconstruction, but sadly they were cut short. His term only lasted in the first year, as Garfield was shot by an office seeker and died many months later (The American Heritage Book of the Presidents and Famous Americans).
John Beckett mentions that the Glorious Revolution has been considered a historical event related to the political issues. The main target of this historical event was to create a commercial freedom in Europe. After this revolution was done, trade relations in Europe went up, and the Bill of Rights was also created in 1689. Today, the Bill of Rights is shown and known that it was the first building stone for the British constitution because it limited the monarchic power. During the eighteenth century, the period of the Age of Enlightenment is considered between 1713 and 1789 because Anthony Pagden states that Europe was like a republic of states, and it was like a union acting together and talking with one voice. The Age of Enlightenment