Benedict+Arnold's+Treason+at+West+Point

media type="youtube" key="PGrxHO-B2TY?rel=0" height="25" width="1100" align="center" = Benedict Arnold's Treason = =[|West Point, New York] =

. In 1780, a general by the name of [|Benedict Arnold], was bribed by the [|British Army]. He was to turn over West Point to them. This site was very important, considering that this would give the British control of the[| Hudson River]and of [|New England]. To them, he would be rewarded [|£20,000] (about $1.3M in 2009 dollars) and also gain a commission as a Brigadier General in the British Army. Above, there is a picture of the original blue print plan that [|General Washington] had [|Tadeusz Kosciuszko] design for West Point during the [|Battle of Saratoga]. These were the plans that [|Benedict Arnold] was trying to give to the British. Benedict Arnold's plan to turn the site did not work considering the British Major, [|John Andre], was captured by the Americans for being a spy. Arnold escaped to the British and his reward was decreased to roughly $350,000, but he still gained the commission as a[| Brigadier General in the British Army.]

This is the original blue print plan that General Washington had Kosciuszk design for West Point during the Battle of Saratoga.

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These two videos explain Benedict Arnold's Treason of West Point.





__Benedict Arnold__
Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741. He was first a merchant operating ships on the [|Atlantic Ocean], but when the war broke out in 1775, he joined a growing army outside of Boston. By showing many acts of cunningness and bravery, he succeeded in many battles including the capture of [|Fort Ticonderoga], the [|Battle of Ridgefield], the [|Battle of Fort Stanwix], and the [|Battles of Saratoga]. He was promoted as a major general during the Revolutionary War after the Battle of Ridgefield. In 1777, after the Battle of Saratoga, Arnold suffered from some injuries which led him to end his war combat for several of years. Because of this, many officers tried to claim his success as their own. Not only did this anger Benedict Arnold, but the [|Continental Congress] also told him that he owed them money even though Benedict used most of his own money for the war. He decided to switch sides in despite of Congress and the Army in 1779. In the July of 1780, Arnold gained command over West Point in order to turn it over to the British. As John Andre, the British Major who carried the plans, was going to give the plans to the British General, he was caught by Americans and labeled as a spy. When Benedict Arnold heard this, we hid among the British. Although his plan failed, he was still given his reward money and commissioned as a Brigadier General for the British Army. Just a few years later, after aging 60 years old, Benedict Arnold passed away on June 14, 1801. Although he was a great General, he is only remembered as a Traitor and his name Benedict Arnold is a new word often used for people who are traitors.



__John Andre__
John Andre was born on May 2, 1750 in [|London, England]. His parents were wealthy [|Huguenots]. Antoine Andre, his father, was a merchant from [|Geneva, Switzerland]. Marie Louise Giardot, his mother, from [|Paris, France]. When he aged 20, he joined the British Army and became a [|lieutenant] in 1774. Later in 1777 he was promoted to captain. In 1779, Andre was ranked as the British Major. The next year, 1780, he began to make plans with, as mentioned before, General Benedict Arnold. Their plan was to surrender West Point to the British for £20,000 ($1.1M in 2008 dollars). This would then give the British control of the Hudson River and New england. Disguising his name to John Anderson, John Andre was secretly carrying the plans on how to attack the West Point fort to the British. At approximately 9 am on September 23, he was captured by American Officers and held prisoner. The change in his answer when asked who he was from a British officer to American officer rose suspicion and gave the idea to search him. When searched they found the plans he was delivering and by the [|rules of war] he was hung as a spy on October 2, 1780 in Tappan, New York.