During the Reconstruction period of 1865–1877, federal law provided civil, White Democrats had regained political power in every Southern state. African Americans and former slaves became Republicans and officeholders. Hiram Rhodes Revels was the first African American to serve in Congress as a senator.
I would say treason because the 13 colonies were still colonies of Great Britain who had authority over the colonies and it was not in their interests to have the colonies become independent at all from Britain,.
