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becausse he was mean spirited

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This is an excellent question and one that every American ought to be able to answer correctly, if only because his very name has become synonymous with traitor.

If he'd been any ordinary colonist who attempted to help the British seize a position along the Hudson River that could have changed the outcome of the Revolutionary War, most of us would never have heard of him at all.

But he wasn't any ordinary citizen. He had a rare, colorful reputation for victory on the battlefield. Washington held him in high personal esteem as one of our most aggressive commanders. His exploits made him a household name throughout the colonies. His raid into Canada brought American troops to the very gates of Quebec City, the capture of which would have removed any threat of invasion from the north. He oversaw the occupation of Montreal, and when forced to retreat toward Albany, his tactics delayed the British and denied them material support at strongholds along the way.

In 1777, when a three-pronged British advance on Albany threatened to take control of the Hudson and split the colonies in half, the mere rumor of Arnold's approach with a large force caused the Native Americans to abandon the British seige at Fort Stanwix. The western pincer had been routed and chased back to Lake Erie. Arnold then returned to Albany in time to join the battle at Saratoga, where on the second day he famously attacked and overran a critical enemy position. Ultimately that action forced a massive, humiliating British surrender and convinced France to back the Americans with arms, ammunition, money, supplies, troops, and ships.

Washington, interestingly, was almost as famous for losing: first Brooklyn Heights, then New York City, then Brandywine and Philadelphia, then (so it seemed at the time) Germantown. But when the continuous skirmishes at Lexington and Concord in 1775 led to the American seige of Boston, Arnold boldly headed west to take Fort Ticonderoga in the New York wilderness without firing a shot. He sent the considerable numbers of cannon back to Boston, where they turned the standoff into a sensational American victory credited to Washington.

That part of the story explains why Benedict Arnold's treachery cut so deeply into the American psyche. His victories had emboldened us. We had entrusted him with our hope for the cause of Liberty. And then in 1780 we learned of his nearly two years of conspiracy and plotting when he almost got away with it.

By then, his vanity had gotten the better of him. He resented what he saw as a continual rebuke when superiors repeatedly passed him over for promotion, command, and other accolades for his considerable achievements. The theatre of war had shifted south, without him. However, obtaining command of the fortifications at West Point finally gave him something of value to trade to the British for the social and financial station he felt he deserved. (This spot atop a natural bottleneck in the Hudson River gave control of river traffic to its garrison. The British could once again threaten to isolate all of New Emgland.)

The rest of the saga is just as intriguing. Look it up to find out how his fall from grace unfolded - who his co-conspirators were, how he hid his messages with invisible ink, how it all went sideways, how he managed to escape, and what became of them all...

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10y ago
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9y ago

Before his betrayal, Benedict Arnold was an American general in the Continental Army. After he defected he became an officer in the British Army. He died in England, disgraced in America, in 1801.

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13y ago

Benedict Arnold was a traitor because he gave American secrets to the British.

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16y ago

He commited treason because he wanted to be famous among the british, wanted money, and wanted a high position in the british army

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Anonymous

Lvl 1
4y ago

because he just went there to get the ,oney

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Q: How did Benedict Arnold become a American patriot?
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When did Benedict Arnold Become important?

Benedict Arnold became important during the American Revolutionary War. He initially gained recognition as a skilled military leader and played a crucial role in the early victories of the Continental Army. However, he later became infamous for betraying the American cause and joining the British Army, making him one of the most notorious turncoats in American history.


What year did Benedict Arnold become the hero at battle of saratoga?

In the year 1777


Benedict Arnold after the war?

His reputation in the US has become tied with the word traitor. But he lived a comfortable life in retirement in England. I'm doing a project on Benedict and I need to know more than he was a traitor! -14seneca5de


When did Benedict Arnold become a spy for England?

After he married a Loyalist woman who changed his views on things.


Who can become members of the American Patriot Party?

Anyone can become a member of the American Patriot Party. One just has to support the party platform, and agree on the issues.


Why did Benedict Arnold become a spy for the British?

By 1779, Arnold had been making deals with the British. He did this because he was angry at the American Government for court-marshalling him because they found him guilty of using the army for his own personal reasons. He also went to the British because he wanted more money and he was in debt. The British gave Benedict Arnold a lot of money to become a British spy. They also promised to make him a British officer but they never fully trusted him.


What did Benedict Arnold do as a loyalist?

Benedict Arnold and his troops created America's first navy out of wilderness in 1776. It was with this navy that the Americans fought the Battle of Valcour Island. More importantly though, Benedict Arnold's greatest contribution to the United States was his leadership and bravery during the Battle of Saratoga. Without Benedict Arnold, the Battle of Saratoga would have been lost; France probably wouldn't have come to America's aid; and Americamight not have become a country. Benedict Arnold did so much for the United States. He shed blood for this country twice! He put his life on the line by serving the American Cause. Not only did he give some of his own money to the Cause, but he gave his brilliant military skill to the American Revolution. Benedict Arnold's role in the making of America is a large one, and that is why he should be remembered as a hero more than as a traitor.


How did Benedict Arnold Die?

Arnold died of DROPSY in London, England on June 14, 1801. His last years were spent in poor health and poverty. Had he become America's most notorious traitor. He was a brilliant general who was responsible for the American victory at the critical Battle of Saratoga where he was seriously wounded (in the leg). He became a traitor to American becasue he was angry that the American government court-marshaled him because they thought her was using the Army's resources for his own personal use and he was in debt and the British payed him alot of money to become a British spy.


Was West Point important to the revolutionary war?

Yes: " Benedict Arnold was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on January 14, 1741. He married Margaret Mansfield, but she died on June 19, 1775. Four years later he married Peggy Shippen. Arnold opened a druggist shop that also sold books. He also did a lot of traveling for his business. He was in the West Indies when he learned about the Boston Massacre. He reacted by saying, "Are the Americans all asleep and tamely giving up their liberties?" He wrote that the Colonists should take "immediate vengeance!" Image courtesy of Art Today Benedict Arnold was an American general. At the beginning of the Revolution, Benedict Arnold was one of the bravest. Benedict Arnold tricked the British into thinking that thousands and thousands of American forces were heading to Fort Schuyler. There were really less than a thousand were going to the fort. The Americans entered the fort with no enemy, thanks to Benedict Arnold's trick. By 1779, Arnold had been making deals with the British. He did this because he was angry at the American Government for court-marshalling him because they found him guilty of using the army for his own personal reasons. He also went to the British because he wanted more money and he was in debt. The British gave Benedict Arnold a lot of money to become a British spy. They also promised to make him a British officer but they never fully trusted him. Arnold offered to turn West Point over to the British. West Point was an important American fort, and Arnold was the general there. John André was a major in the British army. John André and Benedict Arnold exchanged letters about the plans for West Point. John André was caught by the Americans, and they found the documents in his sock. The documents showed that Benedict Arnold was a traitor. Benedict Arnold escaped from the Americans, and he was never caught. For the rest of his life, he lived in Canada and England. He died in London, England, on June 14, 1801."


When did General Brigadier Benedict Arnold turned into a spy for the British after the battle of Saratoga?

Benedict Arnold's decision to become a spy for the British (and otherwise collaborate with them against the American colonists) appears to have been made in 1778 -- one year after the Battle of Saratoga. This was the year that he was investigated by the Continental Congress for financial irregularities; he was also once again passed over for promotion around this time. It was not until 1780, however, that his new allegiance was discovered by the American colonists.


Did Benedict Arnold help in the Battle of Bunker Hill?

Benedict Arnold was a General that lead part of the army of rebels in the taking of Bunker Hill and the Fort Ticonderoga. He switched side from the colonist to the British after being indebted to the congress and being passed up for multiple promotions.


What year did Arnold Schwarzenegger become an American citizen?

1983