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The American Revolution I

Yale, , Prof. Joanne B. Freeman

Updated On 02 Feb, 19

Overview

Introduction: Freeman's Top Five Tips for Studying the Revolution - Being a British Colonist - Being a British American - Outraged Colonials: The Stamp Act Crisis - Resistance or Rebellion? (Or, What the Heck is Happening in Boston?) - Being a Revolutionary - The Logic of Resistance - Who Were the Loyalists? - Common Sense - Independence - Civil War - Organizing a War - Heroes and Villains - Citizens and Choices: Experiencing the Revolution in New Haven - The Importance of George Washington - The Logic of a Campaign (or, How in the World Did We Win?) - Fighting the Revolution: The Big Picture - War and Society - Confederation - A Union Without Power - The Road to a Constitutional Convention - Creating a Constitution - Creating a Nation - Being an American: The Legacy of the Revolution

Includes

Lecture 14: Heroes and Villains

4.1 ( 11 )


Lecture Details

The American Revolution (HIST 116)

In this lecture, Professor Freeman discusses Benedict Arnold as a case study of the ways in which ideas about regionalism, social rank, and gender - and the realities of the Continental Congress and the Continental Army - played out in this period. Like many Americans during this period, Benedict Arnold thought that he could improve his social rank and reputation in the military, but he was unable to advance due to the Continental Congresss policy on military promotions. Frustrated and facing mounting personal debts, he decided to aid the British in exchange for a reward. Arnold and his wife Peggy developed a plan for Arnold to smuggle American military plans to the British with the help of a young British soldier named John André. However, André was captured while smuggling Arnolds papers and the plot quickly unraveled. In the end, Arnold fled; his wife played upon conventional stereotypes of women to avoid punishment; and André was executed but idealized in the process.

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website httpopen.yale.educourses

This course was recorded in Spring 2010.

Ratings

5.0


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Comments
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Sam

Excellent course helped me understand topic that i couldn't while attendinfg my college.

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Dembe

Great course. Thank you very much.

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