...Being a traitor is one of the biggest crimes one can commit against their country, especially during a time of war. A prime example of someone who betrayed their country to help the other side is Benedict Arnold, who secretly helped the British during the American Revolution even though he was technically an American. Born in Connecticut in January of 1741, Benedict was destined to have some part in the American Revolution. He had a rough childhood as his father was an alcoholic and he eventually signed up for the militia when he was 16. He became a member of the Sons of Liberty, a secret group formed during the American Revolution for revolutionaries, as he was angry at the British for taxing his goods so heavily. Arnold by this time...
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...Events Benedict Arnold Affected Ever since the turnover of the West Point American fort, Benedict Arnold’s name has become synopsis with the word ‘traitor’. However, before this was the case, Benedict Arnold was actually an American war hero, assisting the Patriots and their ‘call’ for freedom (Benedict, 2009). There are five major events where Arnold helped shape the outcome of the Revolutionary War; The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga, the Battle of Quebec, the Battles of Lake Champlain, and the Negotiations of West Point. The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga When the Massachusetts Committee of Correspondence learned of Arnold’s knowledge of Ticonderoga being poorly guarded and full of ammunition, they commissioned him as a coronel. “Ticonderoga was also vitally important due to its locations as it was situated on Lake Champlain and provided nice staging grounds for an assault on Quebec” (Yost, 2011). The Fort...
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...Luis Gonzalez Period 5 9/3/13 U.S HISTORY BIOGRAPHIES BENEDICT ARNOLD Benedict Arnold is the most well-known traitor of the American Revolutionary War. He would have been famous for his successful military actions, if he had not turned spy for the British. Arnold was born on January 14, 1741 in Norwich, Connecticut. In his early years, Benedict joined the army many times, yet always deserted his position. He was apprenticed to a pharmacist and later opened his own store. Arnold became very wealthy and was able to send merchant ships to Canada and the West Indies. When the war broke out between the colonies and England, Arnold, then captain of militia, thought that this was his chance to be famous, distinguished, and respected. After the Battle of Lexington and Concord, Benedict coerced authorities there into appointing him colonel. In exchange he promised to enlist and train men to capture Fort Ticonderoga. When he learned that Ethan Allen already made plans to do the same, Arnold demanded Allen to turn over command to him. Allen forcibly refused, but allowed him to come along. Arnold commanded troops and took the British garrison at St. Johns, Canada a few days following Allen's victory. Arnold and General Richard Montgomery led a failing attack on Quebec in December of 1775. Arnold was badly wounded and Montgomery was killed. After he recovered, he was promoted to brigadier general and for the rest of the year, with a fleet of boats, battled British gunboats on Lake...
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...American Revolution Leader: Peggy Shippen Arnold She was married to the most well known traitor in the thirteen colonies. Peggy Shippen Arnold was the wife of Benedict Arnold. She was born into a wealthy family. She was the daughter of Margret and Edward Shippen. She was the youngest surviving child in her family of six siblings. (She had two younger siblings that didn’t live past toddler-hood.) They were upper middle class citizens. Her ancestors were previous Philadelphia mayors. Her dad was a judge and her mom was the daughter of a prominent lawyer. Her father believed “that ordinary citizens could not govern without the upper classes telling them what to do”. She married Benedict Arnold when she was 18 and he was 38. Together they had five children, Edward Shippen Arnold, William Fitch Arnold, James Robertson Arnold, Sophia Matilda Arnold, and George Arnold. Peggy Shippen and her husband, Benedict, were traitors to the United States because they gave secret information to the British side during the Revolutionary war....
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...On September 1780 British Major John Andre was arrested crossing between British and America, he was disguised with civilian clothes so he wouldn’t get caught but he did(American revolution). He was arrested with Benedict Arnold’s papers found on Andre incriminated Arnold in treason(American revolution). Benedict Arnold was scared so he ran to British lines before the Patriot’s could arrest him(American Revolution). Benedict Arnold was arrested and hung at Tappan, New York City, on October second. Before that Washington sent men into New York City to apprehend Arnold, but it failed(biography.com). Benedict Arnold became a spy because he believed that his arrears would be better served assisting the British than continuing to suffer for...
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...Arnold played an important role in the American revolution, as Paul A. Hutton Prof. of history in University of New Mexico says, “to the average American, Arnold and traitor mean the same thing” . Arnold was the man who led the New Haven minute men in 1775, later on Arnold was given an army and along with the Green Mountain boys and Ethan Allen he successfully took Fort Ticonderoga. Arnold was also the man who sold his allegiance to the enemy ( the British) for 20,000 pounds! Benedict Arnold was notoriously known for being a traitor during the American Revolution was born Norwich, Connecticut to a wealthy family, but was later left bankrupt due to his fathers carless drinking habit, making Benedict Arnold more or less a self-made man. His...
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...Benedict Arnold was an American patriot and general during the American Revolution. Many questions and controversies have came up regarding his loyalty to the colonies. There seems to be two sides to the story: some people say that Arnold was a hero, some say he was a traitor. Despite this controversy, Arnold showed heroic characteristics and qualities throughout his life and career as a general. Benedict Arnold was a hero because he led the American soldiers in the Revolution confidently, diligently, and hopefully. A good deed in which Arnold did during the time of the Revolution was supply his officers with adequate necessities during battles. An example of this is when the men camped outside of Quebec, waiting for the perfect time to attack. The soldiers were cold, wet, and hungry. They hadn’t eaten a proper meal for days or even weeks. However, Arnold came to the rescue. His heroic self had “reached the nearest town and had sent back these animals for food. There were sheep, too, and sacks of flour” (Sheinkin 77). This considerate act nourished the army and helped them successfully attack and claim Quebec....
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...Benedict Arnold: Hero, Traitor, and the Complexities of Revolutionary Loyalty. Introduction: The American Revolution was a period of intense political and social upheaval, where loyalties were tested, and the concepts of patriotism and treason were constantly redefined. No figure embodies the complexities of this era more than Benedict Arnold, a man whose journey from celebrated war hero to infamous traitor continues to captivate historians and the public alike. This paper will explore Arnold's role in the American Revolution, examining his early patriotic service, the factors that led to his betrayal, and the lasting impact of his actions on American history and memory. Early Patriotic Service:. At the outbreak of hostilities in 1775, Benedict Arnold quickly established himself as one of the Continental Army's most capable and daring commanders. His first significant contribution came with the capture of Fort...
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...Benedict Arnold was born in Norwich, Connecticut on January 14, 1741. Benedict Arnold was an American Revolutionary War General who was born into wealth and died a traitor. Benedict Arnold family started out wealthy and successful but after a few family events it completely turned around. Benedict apprenticed with an apothecary and was a member of the militia during the French and Indian War. He later joined the Continental Army during the Revolutionary war that started between Great Britain and its 13 American colonies in 1775. During the war is when Benedict Arnold showed his true colors. Benedict Arnold was one of the only two of his mother's eleven children that survived to adulthood. Benedict Arnold family was wealthy until his mother...
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...Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold is mostly known for being a traitor. He was born January 14, 1741. how he became involved in the American Revolution, and how he fought for America, and why he betrayed America for Britain are some of his accomplishments. He started his life as a loyal American. Later he became one of the most well known traitors in history. Benedict Arnold was a merchant who was greatly affected by The Stamp Act. The Stamp Act took away part of the money he earned on his three merchant ships. He needed that money to back pay the loan from the ships. Benedict wanted to protest against the act so he would receive his full profit. He joined a group called The Sons of Liberty. The Sons of Liberty was a group of colonists...
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...Benedict Arnold joined the American Army at age 18 without permission from his parents. Arnold had a passion for fighting and was spectacular at it. Arnold was a superior fighter and soldier of the American Army and was appreciated by (mostly) everyone. His personality led him to sometimes be greedy and picky. He often managed to offset these negative qualities by being a hard worker and fighter. Arnold was a key weapon to the Americans and everyone could tell that he was, even the British. Even though Arnold traded, he should be remembered as a hero to the Americans since he made strategic plans, won battles for the Americans, and fought even when he was passed on for promotions. Benedict Arnold has fought for the Americans for most of his life and has done amazing things as an American soldier. At the beginning of the book, The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin, Arnold proves he is a hero in the Battle of Valcour Island by coming up with a brilliant plan to escape the British. The plan was risky to the Americas but Arnold was the one to trust with their escape plan. In the book it says, “Arnold had spent months studying and mapping the lake.... The third option was to try a midnight escape” (134 Sheinkin). Without Arnold...
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...Today, Benedict Arnold is considered a traitor to the U.S, but he could have been a war hero like George Washington during the American Revolution. Benedict Arnold was first seen as an hero but soon changed after he decided to become a Red Coat. Benedict Arnold won many battles for the Americans which brought them to defeat the British. Benedict Arnold was elected to the position of captain in the Connecticut militia in 1775. At the outbreak of the war, Arnold participated in the capture of the British garrison of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. The capture of Fort Ticonderoga was the first big battle the US had won. As the first rebel victory of the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Fort Ticonderoga served as a morale booster and provided key artillery for the Continental Army in the first year of war. Cannons captured at Fort Ticonderoga...
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...for being a traitor, is Benedict Arnold. We are taught from a very early age about his betrayal, but what we are not taught much about are his many feats on the battlefield which played a great role in winning the war against the British. It is quite conceivable that if Benedict Arnold perished in the Battle of Saratoga that he would have looked at quite differently by history today and would most likely be considered an American hero. The question that arises for most people after learning of his significant participation in the war for independence is, how did...
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...Born on January 14, 1741, Benedict Arnold, occupies a place in American history as the most famous traitor of the Revolutionary times. Over the years his contributions have been forgotten and his name represent disloyalty to ones country. Son of Benedict Arnold IV, a businessmen and landowner, and Hannah Waterman King, a stern and commanding woman. When he was eleven years old his parents sent him away to a school in Connecticut, where he studied Latin and mathematics. His education was cut short after his dad lost there fortune. He became the subject of jokes after several events found him leading his drunken father home from local travel. At about this time he began to stand up for himself, picking on bigger boys to fight with, and began to perform daring feats like leaping over wagons in the roadway. When he was about fourteen, Benedict...
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...Whenever the name Benedict Arnold is mentioned, not very many know just who he is or what he’s done over the course of his life. He has accomplished many things as well as overcome many obstacles. Arnold’s early life was not a walk in the park. He experienced many tragedies in his childhood. Things didn’t start looking up for him until the French and Indian War. Benedict Arnold spent much of his life participating in wars. He assumed various parts in many fights including: The French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and the Battle of Lake Champlain, and the Surrender at West Point. Benedict Arnold also earned a disreputable name during the American Revolution. Benedict Arnold was born on the 14th day of January in 1741 to his father,...
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