Ocean State Libraries

"Taking place during the most critical period of our nation's birth, The First Conspiracy tells a remarkable and previously untold piece of American history that not only reveals George Washington's character, but also illuminates the origins of America's counterintelligence movement that led to the modern day CIA. In 1776, an elite group of soldiers were handpicked to serve as George Washington's bodyguards. Washington trusted them; relied on them....

Treason can be defined as "the breach of the allegiance which a person owes to the state under whose protection he lives." But what exactly does it mean to be guilty of a "breach of the allegiance" owed to your country? In a country that guarantees freedom of speech and dissent to all citizens, the extent to which dissent becomes unlawful may not always be clear. Treason is punishable by the death penalty, underscoring the importance of the question:...

Appendix IV contains the transcript of the trial.

Treason is the only crime explicitly defined in America's Constitution. Relatively few Americans have been convicted of it. Far more have had the poisonous word thrown at them. Through the cases of Americans who-whether acting in defense of their country, for personal gain, or simply when society had redefined treasonous activity-were accused of betraying their country, though not charged with the ultimate crime against one's nation, If This Be Treason...

"Political historian and commentator David Rothkopf shows how Trump will be judged by history. (Spoiler alert: not well) in Traitor. Donald Trump is unfit in almost every respect for the high office he holds. But what distinguishes him from every other bad leader the U.S. has had is that he has repeatedly, egregiously, betrayed his country. Regardless of how Senate Republicans have let him off the hook, the facts available to the public show that...