Bacon’s Rebellion was a popular revolt in colonial Virginia in 1676 which was led by Nathaniel Bacon
Nathaniel Bacon
Nathaniel Bacon was a colonist of the Virginia Colony, famous as the instigator of Bacon's Rebellion of 1676, which collapsed when Bacon himself died from dysentery.
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley is a public research university in Berkeley, California. It was founded in 1868 and serves as the flagship campus of the ten campuses of the University of California. Berkeley has since grown to instruct over 40,000 students in approximately 350 under…
Why did Nathaniel Bacon organize a rebellion?
Why did Bacon's Rebellion Occur? Bacon's Rebellion can be attributed to a myriad of causes, all of which led to dissent in the Virginia colony. Economic problems, such as declining tobacco prices, growing commercial competition from Maryland and the Carolinas, an increasingly restricted English market, and the rising prices from English ...
What were the causes of Bacon's Rebellion?
Nathaniel Bacon led an armed revolt against the government of Governor William Berkeley because of:
- A lack of retaliatory action against Indian attacks on western farmers
- Declining tobacco prices coupled with excessive taxation policies that favored the wealthy,
- Accusations of government corruption and favoritism towards the emerging planter elite in Virginia.
Why did Nathanial Bacon lead the rebellion?
The official reason for Bacon’s Rebellion was because of the dissent of settlers out west: Berkeley had previously signed a treaty with Native Americans that restricted the land settlers could live on.
How did Bacons rebellion effect the Indians?
◆ Nathaniel Bacon and his army persuaded the Occoneechee tribe to fight against the Susquehannock. After they captured the strongholds of the Susquehannock, Bacon and his army attacked the Occoneechee tribe, killing men and women indiscriminately. Thus, the middlemen acting on behalf of the governor in the fur trades were vanquished.
Why did Bacon's rebellion occur quizlet?
The rebellion was precipitated by 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.
What was Bacon's rebellion and why was it significant?
Bacon's Rebellion was the most serious challenge to royal authority before the American Revolution. Historians often connect this event to the decline of indentured servitude and the corresponding rise of slavery within the British American colonies.
Who was Bacon's rebellion against?
Bacon's Rebellion was an armed rebellion held by Virginia settlers that took place from 1676 to 1677. It was led by Nathaniel Bacon against Colonial Governor William Berkeley, after Berkeley refused Bacon's request to drive Native Americans out of Virginia.
When did Bacon's rebellion began?
1676Bacon's Rebellion, fought from 1676 to 1677, began with a local dispute with the Doeg Indians on the Potomac River. Chased north by Virginia militiamen, who also attacked the otherwise uninvolved Susquehannocks, the Indians began raiding the Virginia frontier.
What was one factor that contributed to the unrest led to Bacon's rebellion?
What was one factor that contributed to the unrest that led to Bacon's Rebellion? a. Taxes on tobacco were drastically reduced, which led to the shutdown of the colonial government.
Was Bacon's rebellion justified?
Many historians believe Bacon's Rebellion was unjustified and wrong, but many other historians believe his actions are benevolent. Bacon's attack on the Natives is correct because the government was neglecting the citizens, teaching Natives the use of firearms, and the Natives stealing major crops from the citizens.
What was Bacon's rebellion Apush quizlet?
Bacon's rebellion was one factor that led to the massive increase in the importation of African slaves during the early eighteenth century. The rebellion was a result of poor white former servants who desperately wanted money and land.
What were the consequences of Bacon's rebellion?
Bacon's Rebellion also impacted the colonies economically. Taxes were reduced in the colonies. There were lots of efforts to improve the image of those who governed Virginia. Freemen were given their rights back to them.
How did Bacon's rebellion lead Virginia to adopt slavery?
How did Bacon's Rebellion lead Virginia to adopt slavery? Laborers were in short supply since many settlers were killed in the rebellion. It showed the government that indentured servants were volatile. The new governor installed after the rebellion had slaves.
What were the causes of Bacon's Rebellion?
Bacon's Rebellion can be attributed to a myriad of causes, all of which led to dissent in the Virginia colony. Economic problems, such as declining tobacco prices, growing commercial competition from Maryland and the Carolinas, an increasingly restricted English market, and the rising prices from English manufactured goods (mercantilism) caused problems for the Virginians. There were heavy English losses in the latest series of naval wars with the Dutch and, closer to home, there were many problems caused by weather. Hailstorms, floods, dry spells, and hurricanes rocked the colony all in the course of a year and had a damaging effect on the colonists. These difficulties encouraged the colonists to find a scapegoat against whom they could vent their frustrations and place the blame for their misfortunes.
Who was the antagonist of Bacon's Rebellion?
The central figures in Bacon's Rebellion were opposites. Governor Sir William Berkeley, seventy when the crisis began, was a veteran of the English Civil Wars, a frontier Indian fighter, a King's favorite in his first term as Governor in the 1640's, and a playwright and scholar. His name and reputation as Governor of Virginia were well respected. Berkeley's antagonist, young Nathaniel Bacon, Jr., was actually Berkeley's cousin by marriage. Lady Berkeley, Frances Culpeper, was Bacon's cousin. Bacon was a troublemaker and schemer whose father sent him to Virginia in the hope that he would mature. Although disdainful of labor, Bacon was intelligent and eloquent. Upon Bacon's arrival, Berkeley treated his young cousin with respect and friendship, giving him both a substantial land grant and a seat on the council in 1675.
Why was Bacon's fleet captured?
This was to be the turning point in the conflict, because Berkeley was once again strong enough to retake Jamestown. Bacon then followed his sinking fortunes to Jamestown and saw it heavily fortified.
How many men did Bacon have in the forest?
Upon Berkeley's arrival, Bacon fled into the forest with 200 men in search of a place more to his liking for a meeting. Berkeley then issued two petitions declaring Bacon a rebel and pardoning Bacon's men if they went home peacefully.
Why did Bacon go to Virginia?
Bacon was a troublemaker and schemer whose father sent him to Virginia in the hope that he would mature. Although disdainful of labor, Bacon was intelligent and eloquent. Upon Bacon's arrival, Berkeley treated his young cousin with respect and friendship, giving him both a substantial land grant and a seat on the council in 1675.
What was the first stirring of revolutionary sentiment in America?
For many years, historians considered the Virginia Rebellion of 1676 to be the first stirring of revolutionary sentiment in America, which culminated in the American Revolution almost exactly one hundred years later.
How many people were hanged for their part in the rebellion?
He also seized rebel property without the benefit of a trial. All in all, twenty-three persons were hanged for their part in the rebellion.
Why did Virginia change the tax structure?
In order to unify all planters and maintain political power after the rebellion, Virginia altered the tax structure, but more importantly, institutionalized slavery -- only Africans were considered slaves, with a different set of laws applied to them as opposed to the poor Whites who were their socioeconomic peers. By disguising the economic inequalities as a racial issue, those in the east may have mitigated the poor Whites reasons for rebellion, but they consequently instituted racism that lasted for centuries.
What was the cultural divide between eastern and western Virginia?
The cultural divide between eastern and western Virginia was exacerbated by westward expansion ; as more Europeans came into Indian land, there was bloodshed -- and the Eastern half was unresponsive. Taking matters into his own hands, Nathaniel Bacon began wholesale Indian slaughter in the west, and turned east to demand concessions from the governor. Fearing a coup, Governor Berkeley declared Bacon a rebel; Bacon, having nothing to lose, began to destroy what settlements in the east that he could. He became ill and died in the midst of the conflict.
Where did Bacon's Rebellion take place?
Bacon's Rebellion occurred in 17th-century Virginia — more specifically, the land on the western frontier outside of Jamestown. The violence that led up to the uprising took place on the native land of the Doeg tribe. During the uprising, the Governor's seat, which was in the town of Jamestown, was set on fire by the militiamen.
What tribe was Bacon's Rebellion?
In recent years, Bacon's Rebellion has been properly named as an event of native genocide. In 2004, members of the Occaneechi Tribe , which has its roots on this land in Virginia, purchased a small plot of land for traditional purposes. This purchase marks the first time in over 250 years since this tribe has held ownership over their land that was stolen as a result of the events that led to Bacon's Rebellion and the violence it displayed.
What did Berkeley do to make peace with the colonists?
In an attempt to make peace, Berkeley set up a meeting between the colonists and the natives that went disastrously wrong, with violence breaking out once again. Yet Berkeley remained adamant that the colonists needed to exercise restraint when it came to the native population. Bacon, with his staunch anti-native outlook, continued to raid tribes, killing and looting their property. By defying his cousin, Bacon was acting illegally. His raids also gained support among the colonists who wanted to rid the area of indigenous tribes.
Why is Nathaniel Bacon considered the torch bearer of the American Revolution?
Nathaniel Bacon is known as the ''torchbearer'' of the American Revolution because of his role in inciting an uprising of common people against wealthy political leaders. Though the uprising took place 100 years before the start of the American Revolution, the seeds of discontent of American colonists against the governing colonial elite continued to bubble under the surface for the next century.
What happened to Nathaniel Bacon?
Despite his victory, Bacon's Rebellion soon came to an abrupt end when Nathaniel Bacon succumbed to illness and died in October 1676. Without its leader, the movement soon fizzled out, and the governor was able to win back control. To discourage such actions in the future, he hanged 23 supporters of the uprising.
How did wealthy landowners rig the system against poorer farmers?
Wealthy landowners rigged the system against those poorer farmers by buying up all of the fertile lands and using those lands for themselves. The land that was given to former indentured servants was less fertile and was in areas that were on the Virginia frontier. This land was often near indigenous settlements, and as tribes would work to reclaim their land, the white colonists would fight back.
How did Virginia grow its colony?
Virginia in the 17th century was a growing colony that found tobacco profitable, and corn and cattle to be sustainable enough to draw in new pioneers and settlers. Those who could afford to would settle in Virginia, buy some land, and start tobacco production. However, they did so by using slave labor and indentured servitude. Indentured servants were people who could not afford the passage from Europe to America, and so agreed to pay off the cost of their journey through their labor once they arrived. After they completed their sentence, these indentured servants would receive a plot of land, which they could use to grow their wealth.
Why did Bacon lead the rebellion?
Nathaniel Bacon led an armed revolt against the government of Governor William Berkeley because of: A lack of retaliatory action against Indian attacks on western farmers.
What was the catalyst for Bacon's Rebellion?
These constricting policies ultimately became a catalyst for Bacon’s Rebellion against Governor Berkeley and the government of Virginia. Berkeley favored tolerant and almost passive policies towards Indians by limiting armed retaliation against natives. Bacon and his followers leveled three major complaints at Governor Berkeley’s stewardship ...
What led Bacon to organize his own raiding parties and defy Berkeley's orders?
Berkeley’s refusal to sanction retaliation against the local tribes led Bacon to organize his own raiding parties and defy Berkeley’s orders. Bacon’s Rebellion had begun. Bacon led a growing army in attacking local tribes in the spring and summer of 1676 and was quickly becoming extremely popular as the defender of the western farmer.
What were the three major complaints that Bacon and his followers leveled at Governor Berkeley’s stewardship?
These complaints were: Berkeley restricted how much land the western farmers could cultivate for crops. Berkley had restrictive trade policies which hurt western farmers.
What accusations did the planter elite in Virginia have?
Accusations of government corruption and favoritism towards the emerging planter elite in Virginia.
Why did the Virginia House of Burgesses restrict the vote of landless free white men?
By 1670, the Virginia House of Burgesses had restricted the vote of landless free white men who now made up more than half of the population in an effort to quell the growing voices of dissent.
What was the most lucrative colony in the 1675s?
By 1675, Virginia had become England’s most lucrative American colony, exporting more than 10 million pounds of tobacco annually.
Significance
Characters
- The central figures in Bacon's Rebellion were opposites. Governor Sir William Berkeley, seventy when the crisis began, was a veteran of the English Civil Wars, a frontier Indian fighter, a King's favorite in his first term as Governor in the 1640's, and a playwright and scholar. His name and reputation as Governor of Virginia were well respected. Berkeley's antagonist, young Nathaniel …
Causes
- Bacon's Rebellion can be attributed to a myriad of causes, all of which led to dissent in the Virginia colony. Economic problems, such as declining tobacco prices, growing commercial competition from Maryland and the Carolinas, an increasingly restricted English market, and the rising prices from English manufactured goods (mercantilism) caused pro...
Aftermath
- To stave off future attacks and to bring the situation under control, Governor Berkeley ordered an investigation into the matter. He set up what was to be a disastrous meeting between the parties, which resulted in the murders of several tribal chiefs. Throughout the crisis, Berkeley continually pleaded for restraint from the colonists. Some, including Bacon, refused to listen. Nathaniel Bac…
Criticism
- The Long Assembly was accused of corruption because of its ruling regarding trade with the Indians. Not coincidentally, most of the favored traders were friends of Berkeley. Regular traders, some of whom had been trading independently with the local Indians for generations, were no longer allowed to trade individually. A government commission was established to monitor tradin…
Prelude
- After Bacon drove the Pamunkeys from their nearby lands in his first action, Berkeley exercised one of the few instances of control over the situation that he was to have, by riding to Bacon's headquarters at Henrico with 300 \"well armed\" gentlemen. Upon Berkeley's arrival, Bacon fled into the forest with 200 men in search of a place more to his liking for a meeting. Berkeley then i…
Leadership
- Bacon refused. Berkeley granted Bacon's previous volunteer commission but Bacon refused it and demanded that he be made General of all forces against the Indians, which Berkeley emphatically refused and walked away. Tensions ran high as the screaming Bacon and his men surrounded the statehouse, threatening to shoot several onlooking Burgesses if Bacon was not …
Death
- On October 26th, 1676, Bacon abruptly died of the \"Bloodie Flux\" and \"Lousey Disease\" (body lice). It is possible his soldiers burned his contaminated body because it was never found. (His death inspired this little ditty; Bacon is Dead I am sorry at my hart That lice and flux should take the hangman's part\".)
Analysis
- Thus ended one of the most unusual and complicated chapters in Jamestown's history. Could it have been prevented or was it time for inevitable changes to take place in the colonial governmental structure? Obviously, the laws were no longer effective as far as establishing clear policies to deal with problems or to instill new lifeblood into the colony's economy. The numerou…
Sources
- Neville, John Davenport. Bacon's Rebellion. Abstracts of Materials in the Colonial Records Project. Jamestown: Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Washburn, Wilcomb E. The Governor and the Rebel. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1957. Webb, Stephen Saunders. 1676-The End of American Independence. New York: Alfred A. Knope, 1984.