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 the following years, Benedict’s mother died so he proceeded to take responsibility for his remaining sister and father. His dad, at the time, had been arrested for being drunk in public many times. Following his fathers death, Benedict and his sister moved to New Haven and Arnold worked as a pharmacist and bookseller. When the Stamp Act was passed in 1764, Arnold joined the Sons of Liberty (Benedict).
By joining the Sons of Liberty, Arnold hoped to resist the British tyranny that the country was starting to feel. He did not like all the taxes and policies that King George III was beginning to push. Soon, Arnold felt the need to enlist in the army. He was one of Washington’s best Major-Generals. The fact that the troops were so poorly equipped and trained made Arnold quite frustrated, so he spent his own money trying to properly equip and train them. When he won the battle of Ticonderoga in 1775, Washington was quick to appoint him as commander of a large force of men to take on the battle of Quebec. The men marched three hundred fifty miles through “rain, snow, and ice, reduced to eating candles, dogs, and shoe leather” (Creighton).
Arnold’s nickname soon became “America’s Hannibal” due to his braveness through the troops’ march in the wilderness. During the battle of Quebec, Benedict Arnold was shot in the leg with a musket ball and was noted in the continental army for his intense braveness (Cr...
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...ts a traitor, no matter what side he is on.
When Benedict Arnold died, he was to be given a memorial, just like the other three generals that fought in the Revolution. The only problem was that Washington had given specific instructions not to give him any recognition. In the end he was only granted two pieces of information – rank and date of birth. They left off his name and date of death (Creighton).
Works Cited
"Benedict Arnold Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Jan. 2014.
Creighton, Linda L. "Benedict Arnold: A Traitor, but Once a Patriot." US News. U.S.News & World Report, 27 June 2008. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.
Lomask, Milton. Beauty and the Traitor ; the Story of Mrs. Benedict Arnold. Philadelphia: Macrae Smith, 1967. Print.
Zinoman, Jason. "Was Benedict Arnold's Wife the Real Traitor?" Slate Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2013.
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 ...
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.
Knopf, Alfred A. Anne Frank in the World. New York: Knopf, 2001. Print. 06 Feb. 2014
Nathanael Greene, although not afforded many victories in battles, was a masterful strategist, soldier and statesman. He was able to successfully employ militia, regular, light and mounted units during his command in the South. He built upon the reputation that he made for himself at the beginning of the war in Boston. It is because of this reputation and his ability to produce results that made him the second most important general in the continental army, next only to George Washington.
Later, Benedict Arnold was sent to get a better education at Canterbury Boarding School and wrote to his mother often. In August 1753, Benedict Arnold’s sisters were stricken with the Yellow Fever during the Yellow Fever epidemic .When his mother wrote to him she wrote, “ For three or four days past we have look on Mary as one just stepping off the banks of time and to all appearances, Hannah just behind. Prepare for the worst. Wha...
Sheinkin, Steve. The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, & Treachery. New York: Roaring Brook, 2010. Print.
He suffered from stage fright and often “blushed and faltered”, (18) even at his inauguration as President, “he trembled and several times could scarce make out to read his speech” (18) This weakness of his is often glossed over as it doesn’t seem to fit in with his image as the towering, imposing “founding father”. Yet today, it is essential for a President to be able to deliver impressive and clear speeches to the whole country. Finally there are some criticisms that he was not as effective General as is often believed. Thomas Paine claimed that he was a bad general whose strategy consisted of “doing nothing” (19). Although Paine had a personal agenda in condemning George Washington as he resented not being appointed Postmaster-General, and then later by not being rescued from French persecution by the government, it is true that George Washington did lose more battles than he won (20) and often did seem to do nothing for long periods of time. There is also the issue of his harsh treatment towards his own soldiers, any who were caught deserting or plundering were “flogged” (21) and he even a “Gallows near forty feet high erected” to terrify the rest into obedience.
Was Brutus a patriot or a betrayer? A patriot is someone who supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors. Brutus was a patriot because his actions were driven by his love for Rome. His intentions were not motivated by his own ambition rather he acted to ensure that Rome would not be taken over by a dictatorship. Some might argue that Brutus was not a patriot, but a betrayer, after all, who conspires and murders someone they claim to love? Brutus claimed to have a deep love for Caesar, but he conspired with traitors and assassinated Caesar by stabbing him in the back. Brutus claims to be an honorable man in his speech at Caesars funeral. Would an honorable man have acted in the same manner as Brutus?
Not only was he able to lead an army, but he was the leader of the movement that led the Constitutional Convention of 1787. He gave support to new Constitutions and leaders of many meetings. Once the constitution was finally revised, he was the presidential candidate that won 69 electoral
The legacy and leadership of Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) is subjective and based on on perspective, context and audience. Arnold is “one of the most infamous traitors in U.S. history” (History.com 2009) and is universally remembered as despicable villian in history (Weeks 2011) However the general public have barely acknowledged Arnold’s heroic achievements as an early American hero of the Revolutionary War (1775-83). When looking at Arnold objectively and without bias, both his heroic traits, as well as justifiable reasons for becoming a traitor, can be seen.
Douglas MacArthur was born on January 26th,1880 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was born on a military base and into a family with a lot of military history. Arthur was a military captain when Douglas was born. Mary, Douglas’ mother lived in Virginia most of her life with her brothers. Mary’s brother’s were with the South during the Civil War. The base where Douglas was born is one of the first of several military bases that Douglas would live on during his childhood.
Venet, Wendy Hamand. Neither ballots nor bullets: women abolitionists and the Civil War. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1991.
Sherna B. Gluck, Rosie the Riveter Revisited: Women, the War, and Social Change, (Boston, Twayne Publishers) p. 137
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.