alternatehistory.com

As a brazilian, i don't have many knowledge about the history of the USA as a native would have, but, in my country, there was a independece movement called Inconfidencia Mineira (Miner's Inconfidence), which happened in the region of Minas Gerais. It was never clear if they wanted to free all portuguese America or only Minas Gerais, but this conspiration had some similarities with the American Revolution (they were inspired by it, after all), as many members of the Inconfidencia were masons and the most important motivations for the conspiration were the increasing taxes and authoritarian laws made by the portuguese government. However, the movement was never put in practice, as they were denounced in 1789, before making any serious attempt of revolution. Most of the leaders and members of the Inconfidencia were exiled, and one of them, Joaquim José da Silva Xavier (known until today as Tiradentes), a military member, was executed .
So...could something like this happen with the American Revolution, with someone playing a early Benedict Arnold ? What would be the effects?
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