Bacon's Rebellion In Virginia 1676

Woody Holton. Forced Founders: Indians, Debtors, Slaves and the Making of the American Revolution in Virginia. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1999.

Nathaniel Bacon's Rebellion was significant in early colonial history because it pronounced the grim collapse of Native American tribes residing in the Chesapeake region, it brought the first, but short-lived, sign of change within the colonial government to achieve equality, and it produced defining black slavery as opposed to the earlier indentured servitude.

Howard Zinn discussed several things in this chapter. At first, he mentioned the white frontiersmen rebellion and how the rebellion threat the government. This rebellion was bacon’s rebellion. Also, he talked about how the England government ended this rebellion. The main argument for Zinn in this chapter was the division of the community in the colonies according to social and economic status into upper class which was the wealthy people, and the lower class which consist of poor people. Also, he talked about the relationship among white, and Indians, and black slaves.

Contrary to the pilgrims of New England, those who settled in the Chesapeake area colonized the region for more economic purposes. Many people who settled in the Chesapeake were down-on-their-luck English citizens living in swamps and slums hoping to stake it out in the New World, because it couldn’t be much worse than the conditions they faced back in England. Most received their tickets to America through indentured servitude, paying for their trip with a few years of free labor for a wealthy master. Document C is a roster of indentured servants bound for Virginia who are all set to work for the same master. Indentured servitude had long lasting effects on the colonies, the most impactful being Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676 (Document H). This uprising was caused former indentured servants who had no land or property of their own once their work contracts expired. Because the land westward was populated by Natives and therefore almost impossible to acquire, the dissenters focused against the rich and powerful members of the colonies. The successful uprising led to reforms such as work regulations explained in Document E, as well a shift away from indentured servitude and towards slavery of blacks. Other settlers besides indentured servants were aspiring traders and gold-hunters mentioned in Document F. While traders had little success early on and treasure hunters definitely didn’t find their fields of

“Virginia Laws Governing Servant and Slave” reveals the rebellions of servants and slaves who united to fight against their masters. Bacon’s Rebellion, in 1676, occurred in the Virginia Colony in opposition to Virginia's Indian policy (Roark, The American Promise, p. 79). Bacon’s Rebellion demonstrated that poor whites and poor blacks could be united in a cause, and it shows that they are capable of challenging the ruling class together. Virginia lawmakers enacted the laws to prevent the servants and slaves from uniting to fight against masters. According to "Document 2: Law Making Slave Status Inherited from Mother, 1662" the Virginia legislators punished interracial sexual relations, "And that if any Christian shall commit fornication with a negro man or woman, hee or shee soe offending shall pay double the ffines imposed by the former act"

Culpepper's Rebellion was a revolt where Thomas Miller, an official attempted to take control of a large portion of the Carolinas (later would be known as North America). A counter party was formed that was led by John Culpepper. This party would evtually improsen Miller and have him

In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon rebelled and held a revolt in Colonial Virginia. High taxes, low prices for tobacco, and resentment against special privileges given those close to the governor, Sir William Berkeley, provided the background for the uprising. These factors made the rebellion inevitable. All of the chaos was precipitated by Governor Berkeley's failure to defend the frontier against attacks by Native Americans. Bacon commanded two unauthorized but successful expeditions against the tribes and was then elected to the new House of Burgesses, which Berkeley had been forced to convene. Berkeley then sent out a warrant for his arrest and Bacon was put in jail. Bacon soon was released and he immediately gathered his supporters,

Sir William Berkeley arrived in Virginia in 1642 to act as the Colonial Governor of Virginia. He was the King’s envoy in Virginia, though he was a selfish royalist who believed in himself before the King. He brought together some

Bacon's Rebellion may have served as the first civil uprising within the early settlements of America. Led by Nathaniel Bacon, a militia of armed freedmen, slaves, and poor colonist banded together to fight against a government that they felt was corrupt and did not have their best interests in mind. This paper will examine some of the major causes that led to the rebellion such as the increased westward expansion by the colonists, the civil unrest growing between the social classes, rising taxes, and disputes between colonists and neighboring indian tribes.

(Canfield, 1913) But, the Governor would not let him, saying that it was not a good idea to stir up the Indians any further, and that their outbreak would soon cease. (Canfield, 1913) Little did the Governor know, this was not the answer that Bacon and the colonist wanted to hear. In despair, the colonists asked Bacon to defy the Governor and attack the Indians on his own with an army. Bacon was not keen on this idea of his peers and colonists. In time, Bacon was persuaded from his peers to come up with a plan, and an Army, an illegal army, of people to carry out these deeds of attacking the Indians along the Roanoke River. (Canfield, 1913) This incident was no different from similar episodes that had come up for more than thirty years. This incident “blew up” because it set loose a pattern of attacks and counterattacks that threatened all-out war. (Canfield, 1913) Berkeley knew people saw him as a weak leader for letting this happen. He declared Bacon a rebel against the government and promised to solve any complaints the people of the colony had against him. (Billings, 1999, 2000) Landowners had elected Bacon to a burgess, but before he could take his new position, Bacon was captured for his acts of taking arms when he was told not to. Bacon was brought before the Governor, surprisingly he was pardoned, and was allowed him to return home. Bacon missed a lot of the legislative sessions from being away from his appointed position. As time moved on, the legislative body agreed to attack the Indians, much to the voter’s dismay. During one of these sessions, Bacon came to Jamestown and demanded to be appointed as a General, his demand was granted, by force, and from being frightened, he then went away to fight the Indians. (Billings, 2000) Bacon has defied the

Bacon's Rebellion in 1676 was the first rebellion in the colonies and it largely resulted in the hardening of racial lines with slavery. The plantation owners and farmers now saw it as a dangerous asset to have white indentured servants as workers and also saw having slaves as a much higher profit. By the establishment of the Virginia colony and its use of producing the tobacco cash crop, boatloads of slaves were brought to work and profit the upper class plantation owners. What became known as the Middle Passage became nothing more to the white upper-class than profit and population increase. At the end of the seventeenth century, it was established that 40,000 people lived in Virginia however the number of slaves brought to the colony was unknown.

2) Bacon’s Rebellion, King Phillip’s War, and the Pequot War all derided from the yearning of land, and land agreements with both local landowners and Natives. Bacon’s Rebellion essentially was due to the inadequate amount of land now-freed indentured servants could attain. A few large families or companies owned all of the land leaving none for future businessmen in hopes of making a profit off of agricultural endeavors. The impact of Bacon’s rebellion was the end to Indentured Servitude within the colonies and, more importantly, the introduction of Slavery within Virginia.

Bacon’s Rebellion made a huge impact on the people of Virginia which changed the people’s views and also the society. Before Bacon’s Rebellion

Bacon's Rebellion was a bloody uprising against American Indians and the colonial government whom William Berkeley was a governor. When Bacon arrived at Jamestown, planting tobacco wasn't profitable as it was before. The tobacco price had fallen down as more and more newcomers came to America as laborers in the tobacco fields. Race played a main role in this rebellion in which the American Indians were viewed as trade inferiors to Bacon. Thus, Bacon's motive of getting rid of the American Indians was triggered. Furthermore, the colonial refused to support Bacon's idea in which urged him to challenge them.

A rebellion that took place in 1676 by Virginia settlers. It was led by Nathaniel Bacon, a Virginia farmer who was against the rule of Governor William Berkeley. It was one of the most confusing yet intriguing events in Jamestown History. Based on findings and more distal viewpoints, historians came to this conclusion that Bacon's Rebellion was a power struggle between two stubborn and selfish leaders that were opposed to this idea of tyranny. High taxes, low prices for tobacco, and resentment against special privileges, provided justification for the Bacon’s uprising. This was spreaded by Berkley’s failure to defend the frontier from the attacks of the Native Americans. Bacon commanded two unauthorized but successful expeditions against the