The American traitors were the criminals, obviously. /s. Mostly. I'm told that, well into the 20th century, the American Revolution was often taught in the B

The American traitors were the criminals, obviously. /s. Mostly. I'm told that, well into the 20th century, the American Revolution was often taught in the British Empire as the War of American Rebellion. And it had its own mythology/didactic purpose. First, a cautionary tale on what to do if you want to lose a colony. After all the Americans overreacted but they had a point. It also served as an exhibit for the dangers of deviant American republicanism. Populists overthrowing constitutional government. Causing a nasty war. And for no reason. After all, in this historical mythology, the UK would have granted self rule to America as it soon did Canada. etc. if only the Americans had been reasonable. (And they weren't reasonable because they were republicans: see France.). It even served as proof that anti-imperial and republican sentiments held back human liberty and progress. (Slavery was banned in the British Empire long before the USA. Of course, the region with the plurality of slaves under British jurisdiction had just seceded...) I almost wish it were still taught this way today, if only for the perspective shift.