Benedict Arnold

Benedict Arnold was born in Connecticut during colonial times. He was a daredevil as a child, craving attention. He was sent to boarding school but had to drop out when the family fell into financial difficulty. He was apprenticed to an apothecary, briefly joined the military, then finished his training. He was a successful businessman by the time the American Revolution broke out, and he devoted himself to the cause. He was a brilliant military tactician. He instinctively knew how to lead and inspire his men. He was brave and went willingly into the most dangerous battles. He often became angry when he felt he was not being given credit for his actions. Arnold ran into difficulty with his superiors on several occasions, and he always felt he was right.

Author Steve Sheinkin felt there was not a single event that led Arnold to become a...