Who was the biggest traitor in American history?

Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold, the American general during the Revolutionary War who betrayed his country and became synonymous with the word “traitor,” was born on January 14, 1741.

Who is the greatest traitors in history?

The Ten Worst Traitors in History

• Judas Iscariot. No name conjures images of treachery and betrayal like that of Judas Iscariot.
• Ephialtes of Trachis.
• Benedict Arnold.
• Vidkun Quisling.
• Wang Jingwei.
• Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus.
• Mir Jafar.
• Robert Hanssen and Aldrich Ames.

Was the Revolutionary War a treason?

“The American Revolution was a massive act of treason against the British government,” said UC Davis legal scholar Carlton F.W. Larson, who is working on a book about treason. And even before the war, American colonists had been accused of treason under English law for acts of protest like the Boston Tea Party.

Why did Benedict Arnold betray the United States?

Historians have several theories about why Arnold became a traitor: greed; mounting debt; resentment of other officers; a hatred of the Continental Congress; and a desire for the colonies to remain under British rule. But Arnold often fought with other officers and Congress.

Who was accused of treason during the American Revolution?

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.

Who was the most significant traitor in American history?

Without a doubt, the most significant traitor in U.S. history was General Benedict Arnold, a senior general in the U.S. Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Who is the least nefarious traitor on this list?

WHAT I WANT IS FREEDOM AND ONLY FREEDOM. While still a traitor, Vanunu is by far the least nefarious on this list. A whistle-blower on a government covertly developing weapons of mass destruction, he is internationally regarded as a hero of the nuclear proliferation age and has received many accolades, including a Nobel Prize nomination.

Who are some famous people who fought in the Revolutionary War?

Last but not least we have Benedict Arnold. During the American Revolutionary War, Arnold first joined the Continental Army, but later sided with the British. When he was still a general on the American side, he became the commander of a fort in New York, which he offered to the British.

What are the motives of traitors?

First, traitors have different motives, ranging from the altruistic to the totally selfish. Second, they have different intended consequences; while some are on the personal level, others may conspire to forfeit their nation to a foreign power for centuries to come.