Benedict arnold biography summary worksheets

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Early Years

Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741, in Norwich, Connecticut. He was one of five children, though only he and his sister survived to adulthood. While his family was fairly wealthy when he was a child, bad business decisions by his father plunged the family deep into debt. His father became an alcoholic, and Benedict was forced to drop out of school. At age fifteen, he ran away and joined the Connecticut militia, where he helped fight against the French in the Seven Years' War. After the war, Benedict's mother and father died within two years of each other.

Benedict Grows Up

After the deaths of his parents, Benedict moved to New Haven and helped restore the family’s good name. He became a successful and enterprising pharmacist and soon made enough money to partner with a friend to buy three trading ships. Benedict and his partner established a profitable West Indies trade, and he often traveled throughout the Western Hemisphere conducting his business. In 1767, Benedict married Margaret Mansfield. The couple had three sons together, but Margaret died in 1775.

Fort Ticonderoga

In 1775, Connecticut was stirring with the idea of revolution. Benedict Arnold was chosen captain of the Governor’s Second Company of Connecticut Guards. The guards joined the revolution after the Battles of Lexington and Concord and marched to Massachusetts. On the way, Benedict formulated a plan to seize Fort Ticonderoga (in New York) and its cannons for the fledgling Continental Army. He convinced the Massachusetts Committee of Safety to fund the expedition and was named colonel in the Massachusetts militia. On May 10, 1775, Benedict, along with Ethan Allen, led a successful raid and occupation of Fort Ticonderoga. They also seized Fort George and Crown Point. The raids yielded much ammunition for the Continental Army. At least 100 cannons were transported all the way back to Boston for the purposes of defending the city. Nevert

Benedict Arnold

Today, the name “Benedict Arnold” is associated with being a traitor. However, for much of his life, Arnold supported the efforts of the colonies even to the point of being a Revolutionary War General.

It wasn’t until circumstances presented themselves that he couldn’t agree with that he decided to change sides from supporting the colonies to supporting the British.

Benedicts Early Life

Benedict was born in Norwich, Connecticut in 1741. He was the son of a successful businessman, and all but one of his five brothers and sisters died from yellow fever.

Add to this that his father was an alcoholic and drank away all of their fortunes, and it threw Benedict into a bad situation.

When things were going well, Benedict attended a private school, but when they lost all of their money, he was forced to quit and became an apothecary apprentice.

His mother then passed away in 1759, and his father died two years later.

Becoming a Business Man

In those days, it was challenging to be a successful merchant, and Benedict made efforts as both a bookseller and an apothecary.

He had some success and expanded to invest with a partner in a trading company. However, the British imposed the Stamp Act on all of the colonies, and this caused many to lose a lot.

It was during this time that Patrick join the Sons of Liberty to organize ways to fight back.

Revolutionary War

As anger arose in the colonies, the Revolutionary War broke out, and Benedict Arnold was given the position of the Connecticut militia captain.

Arnold bravely led militia troops north after the Battle of Lexington and Concord so that they could fight against the British taking over Boston. He was given a commission of colonel so that he could attack Fort Ticonderoga.

He coordinated with the Green Mountain Boys and Ethan Allen, and they succeeded in taking Ticonderoga. It is considered to be the first victory for the colonies.

Arnold considered himself a patriot and continued this

Benedict Arnold was an American Senior Officer during the Revolutionary War. He was a war hero who persistently fought for America’s independence. However, his betrayal overshadowed his accomplishments in the wars he fought and won. Arnold’s name had become synonymous with the word traitor.

See the fact file below for more information on the Benedict Arnold or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Benedict Arnold worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY

• Benedict Arnold was born on the 14th of January, 1741. He was the second of six children of his namesake, Benedict Arnold, and Hannah Waterman King.
• His ancestors were equivalent to royalty in Rhode Island, and the subsequent generations helped established their name as respected citizens of the colony.
• He was the third Benedict Arnold in his family line with his father and great grandfather as the first two. His mother was a wealthy widow before her marriage to his father.
• They were living a prosperous life, but poor business dealings caused them major financial problems. Additionally, his siblings, two sisters and one brother, died from yellow fever. His father found solace in the taverns due to his family’s circumstances.
• He stopped schooling due to their financial difficulties. He would always find himself in trouble.
• His mother asked his uncles to take Arnold under their wings. They made him an apprentice of their successful apothecary business.
• In his mid-30s, he also found succ

For Kids: Benedict Arnold started out as a hero of the Revolutionary War. He ended up a traitor, working for the British. What turned a hero into a traitor?

Things started to go wrong for Benedict back when he was only 13 years old. His family went bankrupt. They lost all their money. He had to get a job. There were not many jobs for a rich boy, now poor, with no training. He was smart. He coped. Ultimately, he became a ship captain. He fought in the French and Indian War and did a really good job. He impressed George Washington with his courage and his leadership ability.

When Benedict was still a young man, the American Revolution started. He fought on the side of the colonists. He was shot in the leg. A horse fell on him in battle and crippled him. He did not let that stop him. He led his men bravely and continued to fight for freedom.

You might think that the American colonists would honor him. But they didn't. He was really hard to get along with. He was always losing his temper and blaming others for his problems. The truth was nobody liked him much. He was accused of things he did not do, like stealing and being a bad leader. He was going to quit and let someone else fight the war. George Washington talked him into staying.

Then something really sad happened. His wife died. He was miserable. He did marry again. His second wife was a loyalist. She supported the British. She was also very greedy and very selfish. She wanted everything, the finest clothes, the finest food, the finest home. But then, so did Benedict. It was not long before the Arnolds had spent more money than they had.

Benedict Arnold had lived though losing all his family money once before. He was not about to let that happen again. When the US Congress created five new generalships, one of those should have been given to Benedict Arnold. He actually earned it. Instead, because he was not well liked, lesser men, men beneath him in rank and service, were promoted to these n