Forgotten Founders: Thomas Paine and Benedict Arnold
In this two-part course, we tackle the lives of two lesser-known figures of the American Revolution: Tom Paine, the author of Common Sense; and Benedict Arnold, the most famous turncoat in American history.
In the first class, we look at Paine’s meteoric rise to celebrity status during the American Revolution and his equally dramatic fall from grace in the decades afterwards. Once lionized as our most relatable and revolutionary founding father, Tom Paine died a pariah, too radical and uncompromising for the cautious new country he had called into being.
In the second class, we reconstruct the life and times of Benedict Arnold, who as a skilled officer in George Washington’s Continental Army, began secretly communicating with British intelligence agents, giving them insider information and dramatically defecting to their side in return for a mountain of cash. We examine the reasons for this treason, and the larger problems of betrayal and desertion that dogged the Continental Army throughout the war.
Faculty Bio
Richard Bell is Professor of History at the University of Maryland and author of the book Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey Home which was a finalist for the George Washington Prize and the Harriet Tubman Prize.
This is a Livestreamed + Recorded Course
- Classes will stream live on the scheduled day and time
- Classes will also be video recorded
- Fee assistance is available if cost is a barrier. Learn more.
Schedule Highlights
- Course starts on Thursday, Sept. 28 and ends on Thursday, Oct. 05
- Classes meet for two weeks, 1.5 hours per session (9:30–11 AM)
- Videos will post on Fridays in Member Dashboards
- All course materials, including videos, will be available to view and enjoy through Dec. 31
Member Praise for Richard Bell
What a wonderful class and brilliant instructor! I loved Rick’s style of presentation = intense and dramatic. I’m so impressed with my fellow OLLIians = smart, informed, engaged. Everything worked for me.
Amazing content. Amazing delivery.
After the first ten minutes of the first class, I turned to my husband, who had also signed up for the class, and said, "He is terrific!"
Faculty Q&A
- Read an interview with Richard Bell from our archive.