On September 21, 1780, during the American Revolution, American General Benedict Arnold meets with British Major John Andre to discuss handing over West Point to the British, in return for the promise of a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. The plot was foiled and Arnold, a former American hero, became synonymous with the word “traitor.”

The Merriam Dictionary defines “traitor” as a person who is not loyal or true to a friend, duty, cause, or belief or is false to a personal duty. 2 : a person who betrays his or her country : a person who commits treason.

In our modern times, the word “traitor” is loosely used by political partisans when a citizen or politician does something that they don’t personally like or something against their political party’s platform.  That’s usually just talk used as fodder for political argument or to rile up their bases.

But “treason” is a legal position defined as the crime of betraying one’s country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.  It has a very high bar.



Treason is what the January 6th committee of the United States Congress is currently looking into as it relates to those that attempted to overthrow a legal federal election in the United States of America.

Chaos as U.S. Capitol is attacked by Trump’s army of rioters who he sent to overthrow the election of 2020.  5 were killed including a Capitol police officer. Many have already been convicted and sentenced.  Many more cases are pending and some, are still being investigated.So far, the Jan. 6th attackers who have been charged mostly are getting charged with “sedition”, which is a lower bar than the very very serious charge of treason.

As for their leader whom they say sent them, inspired them, and lead them, former President Donald Trump, he has NOT been charged, not yet.

It would be a very high bar to get to a charge of treason, especially for a former president. It has NEVER happened in the United States of America.  But this investigation is still ongoing so we don’t know the full outcome yet. But we do know the full outcome of Americans who have been charged and convicted of “treason”.  I have listed those people at the very bottom of this article.

So, to date, the most famous person, the person who defines “treason” remains Benedict Arnold.

Arnold was born into a well-respected family in Norwich, Connecticut, on January 14, 1741. He apprenticed with an apothecary and was a member of the militia during the French and Indian War (1754-1763).

He later became a successful trader and joined the Continental Army when the Revolutionary War broke out between Great Britain and its 13 American colonies in 1775. When the war ended in 1783, the colonies had won their independence from Britain and formed a new nation, the United States.

During the war, Benedict Arnold proved himself a brave and skillful leader, helping Ethan Allen’s troops capture Fort Ticonderoga in 1775 and then participating in the unsuccessful attack on British Quebec later that year, which earned him a promotion to brigadier general. Arnold distinguished himself in campaigns at Lake Champlain, Ridgefield and Saratoga, and gained the support of George Washington.

However, Arnold had enemies within the military and in 1777, five men of lesser rank were promoted over him. Over the course of the next few years, Arnold married for a second time and he and his new wife lived a lavish lifestyle in Philadelphia, accumulating substantial debt. The debt and the resentment Arnold felt over not being promoted faster were motivating factors in his choice to become a turncoat.

In 1780, Arnold was given command of West Point, an American fort on the Hudson River in New York (and future home of the U.S. military academy, established in 1802). Arnold contacted Sir Henry Clinton, head of the British forces, and proposed handing over West Point and his men. On September 21 of that year, Arnold met with Major John Andre and made his traitorous pact.

However, the conspiracy was uncovered and Andre was captured and executed. Arnold, the former American patriot, fled to the enemy side and went on to lead British troops in Virginia and Connecticut. He later moved to England, though he never received all of what he’d been promised by the British. He died in London on June 14, 1801.

AMERICANS CHARGED and CONVICTED OF TREASON


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4 COMMENTS

  1. Gee GM you still haven’t posted the link showing that the person producing this extravagant Clown Show known as the J6 Committee helped cover up Epstein’s crimes and yet you fondly believe that he is going to expose Trump as a “Traitor” especially since the Committee is being led by the scion of a Traitor Dick Cheney who along with GW Bush were involved in 911. Also it is interesting that you use America’s History to slam Trump who was the President that formed the 1776 Committee which was nullified by your friend Biden. You know the moron in chief who wants to get us involved in WW III by supporting literal Nazis in Ukraine. Did we fight against Nazism in WW II? Now we have a “President” who not only supports them with weapons but also now wants to get directly involved. You should define Traitor and Treason before writing twisted articles about it altering history like Winston Smith.

  2. “Treason is what the January 6th committee of the United States Congress is currently looking into as it relates to those that attempted to overthrow a legal federal election in the United States of America.“ Get real. The 6 Committee like the 911 Committee is just a show trial. The actual traitors as in the case of the latter are actually in the committee itself.

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