Benedict Arnold’s 1780 Proclamation

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Questions on Benedict Arnold’s 1780 Proclamation
Question 1
General Benedict Arnold moved from a war hero to a villain for joining the British after serving under the newly independent United States. After joining the British, they commissioned him a brigadier general and tasked him to recruit his fellows to fight for the British Army. In his proclamation, he offered several material rewards for those who would join him on the other side. He offered a bounty of Three Guineas for each joining fellow. Additionally, he offered them different proportions on their former ranks for the ranks they would obtain in the British army. Essentially, he was offering recruits the material things they desperately expected the newly formed American government to provide. As he pointed out, America's funds were exhausted and insufficient to lift former soldiers out of war (Shi and Mayer 107). Therefore, he offered what the people needed most; a social climb from the fangs of poverty caused by the corrupt American leaders.
Question 2
In his argument, Arnold accused American leaders of several things. Firstly, he argues that the American funds are exhausted because the leaders have enriched themselves at the expense of the veterans languishing in poverty. Secondly, he accused the American leaders of not keeping their promise of liberty. Instead, Arnold Argued, Americans were brainwashed with the idea of independence and were blinded from the critical cause of poverty: corruption. Further, he accused the American leaders of working with the French, aiming to destroy peaceful America. Lastly, Arnold attempted to evoke religious sympathy by accusing the American leaders of not protecting the old religion. He vented that the Congress separ...