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Essay about Colonists' Harsh Control Over Subservients' Rights

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Colonial America was a time filled with hardships and inequality. The idea of who should have rights and how they should be administered was very common throughout the 17th and 18th centuries within the colonies. At this time, colonies were having trouble themselves with their own government laws as their mother country, Great Britain, ruled over them from nearly 3,000 miles away across the Atlantic Ocean. Colonists, themselves, felt that they should be in power and wanted to create their own government, which eventually led to the American Revolution. At this time, rights were only being provided for rich, white, land- owning males. Over the 17th and 18th centuries, events such as Bacon's Rebellion, The Great Awakening, and The Stono …show more content…

The big idea of rights within Colonial America dealt with how to control the rights of slaves. Bacon's Rebellion was a popular revolt in colonial Virginia in 1676, led by Nathaniel Bacon. Actions such as “for having raised great unjust taxes”, “for having abused and rendered contemptible the magistrates of justice”, and “for not having advanced this hopeful colony either by fortifications, towns, or trade” (Nathaniel Bacon's Declaration, page 1), Sir William Berkeley provided the background for the uprising. Even though this event occurred mainly between colonists and Native American tribes, it brought an idea to the colonists to use slaves instead of indentured servants, which was significant to the idea that slaves would have no rights. The rebellion had multiple results, one being an unpopular governor had been temporarily removed. Progress was made toward frustrating the Indians; the tribes realized that they stood little chance against the settlers' superior power and signed another peace treaty in 1677. However, the political strength of the common farmers and laborers had not improved. So, these plantation- owning families came to realize that unemployed, former indentured servants were a threat to social stability. They then turned increasingly to the use of slaves, who were regarded as a safer source of labor and were less expensive. This led to an even greater use of slaves, which just caused larger

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