1. The early days of the Revolutionary War.

It supposedly began with Thomas Hickey, a private in the Continental Army, and New York governor William Tryon. In an astonishing power grab, they plotted to kill Hickey’s boss: a man by the name of George Washington.

In the end, Hickey was caught, brought to trial, and found guilty. It would seem he became the first person in the new nation to be executed for treason.

But to this day, nobody knows for sure if this story is true. In The First Conspiracy, Brad Meltzer sheds light on the close - kept secrets and compelling details surrounding this story and exposes the history of how the assassination plot catalyzed the creation of the CIA and FBI.

This page - turning investigation offers young readers an in - depth look at the facts and remaining questions that surround this contested historical event.