Bacon’sRebellion

Mmmmmmmmmm. Bacon.

Colonial Virginia Virginia was a very divided society. 6% of the population owned most of the

wealth. 93% of the population lived in poverty. 1% middle class.

Who Got Land? Because most of the territory was in the

possession of the 6% conditions were bleak for most people.

The vote and political life was closed off to anyone who did not own land.

People became more powerful by getting land. Poor people moved away from Jamestown and into Indian territory. That was more dangerous.

A Picture of Colonial Virginia

Owned by 6%

BackCountry

Natives

Wealth and Power You needed to own land in order to vote.

You also needed to own a lot of land in order to participate in politics.

Society in colonial Virginia was ruled by the wealthy minority.

There was no actual ability under these conditions for any upward socio-economic mobility.

Wealth and Power The House of Burgess was the

representative government which mainly represented the rich people.

The House of Burgess was under the control of England.

You got power by being loyal to England.

Who Worked? The majority of labor in Virginia was done

by indentured servants (both Africans and whites) and some African slaves.

By this time African slavery had become acceptable, but not as common as indentured servitude.

Because life was difficult, Africans and poor whites often assisted each other to survive.

The relationship between poor blacks and whites worried many of the rich people.

They recognized that conditions were ripe for rebellion.

Virginia began to pass laws that made it illegal for whites and blacks to fraternize. (Associate with each other.)

These laws were much more severe for blacks caught than whites. Duh.

Usually the penalties depended on the ‘crime’:

Blacks and whites caught running away from service would receive lashes (fewer for whites than blacks).

If caught in a sexual act, the punishment would be as follows: black men would be killed white women, men and black women would

receive lashes.

It’s Good to be Wealthy! Advantages for the Rich Settlers

Wealthy farmers occupied much of the prime land around the Chesapeake River. This gave these farmers important advantages. 1. Their farms were closest to the river. They had

access to the most fertile land. 2. River access also made it easier to ship and to

sell their produce. 3. They were closer to the center of the town and

more secure against attacks by hostile American Indians.

4. Finally, it gave these wealthy farmers a greater degree of political influence in the colony.

It Sucks To Be Poor!Disadvantages for the Poor Farmers

End

Most of the people living along the frontier were poor.

Many of these poor farmers had first come to the colonies as indentured servants.

They could not afford the best land and were forced to make a living in the backcountry.

These areas were more vulnerable to attacks by American Indians.

They found it difficult to move their goods to market because their farms were so far from the main ports.

A poor tobacco crop and heavy taxes imposed through the Navigation Acts made many of these problems worse.

Conflict!• Many backcountry farmers such as

Nathaniel Bacon grew to resent the power and influence of those in control of the colony.

• Since many of the wealthy landowners, including Governor Berkeley, traded for furs with American Indians, some poor farmers blamed the wealthy landowners for the lack of security.

End

• Bacon’s Rebellion broke out in the colony of Virginia in 1676. This was first major uprising in

the colonies.

Bacon’s Rebellion

End

Nathaniel BaconBackground info…Don’t Copy.

• The leader of Bacon’s Rebellion was Nathaniel Bacon. He was born in Suffolk, England, in 1647. Although he came from a good family and was generally regarded as intelligent and well-spoken, he also had a reputation for being a troublemaker. His persistent scheming disappointed his parents and continually resulted in conflict with the authorities. He struggled unsuccessfully to find his calling in England, and in 1673 Bacon set sail for the Virginia colony. Here he hoped to gain the wealth and influence that had eluded him in England.

End

Nathaniel Bacon• Once in Virginia,

Bacon settled along the frontier.

• Since Bacon was a distant cousin of the wife of Governor William Berkeley, Bacon was given a seat on the colony’s governing council.

End

Background of the Rebellion• Despite his seat on

the council and his access to the governor, Bacon encountered many of the same problems that his neighbors in the backcountry ran into.

End

Ok, we get it. Rich and poor people didn’t get along. But How did Bacon’s Rebellion start?

July 1675

Members of the Doeg tribe raided Thomas Matthews’ backcountry plantation.

Angered by the attack, the colonists retaliated against the peaceful Susquehannock tribe.

To prevent further trouble, Governor Berkeley called for a meeting among the colonists and tribal leaders.

The colonists, however, used the meeting as an opportunity to murder several of the tribal leaders.

When Governor Berkeley chastised the colonists for their actions, they turned their wrath on the colonial government.

End

And then what?

The killing of representatives of the Susquehannock tribe was the beginning of a series of violent clashes with American Indians.

Governor Berkeley refused to call up military forces to protect the farmers from the Indians.

Instead, Berkeley asked the colonists to restrain themselves from any further violence.

Bacon and his followers refused to comply. He demanded a commission so he could lead a militia against the hostile natives.

End

Seriously?!? Instead of simply demanding a

commission, Bacon eventually attempted a full-scale takeover of the colony.

Bacon convinced the backcountry land owners to join his cause.

White indentured servants and enslaved Africans saw the rebellion as a chance to gain their freedom.

End

So how did it end?• When British troops arrived to

assist in suppressing the rebellion, Nathaniel Bacon was already dead from dysentery. (Body lice!)

• In the meantime Governor Berkeley tried and executed a number of the rebels.

• Bacon’s Rebellion demonstrated that enslaved Africans, white indentured servants, and poor farmers had a common interest in challenging the rich people.

Bacon’s Point of View….• The rebellion was about class. Berkeley was a

rick guy who represented rich guys in Jamestown and answered to rich guys in England while he ignored the poor farmers on the frontier.

• He wouldn’t protect the frontier farmers against Native American attacks because the rich guys became even richer by trading with the Native Americans.

• All The poor farmers wanted to do was protect themselves. When Berkeley tried to stop them, he was asking for rebellion.

• Berkeley was a jerk, and the rebellion was his fault.

Berkeley’s Point of view…• Bacon’s Rebellion was about race and

scapegoating.

• Berkeley wanted to fight against the tribes that were attacking settlers, but trade with friendly Native Americans.

• Bacon was so racist that he saw all native

Americans as the same, and he kept attacking friendly tribes.

• Bacon stirred the pot with the frontier farmers and got them to scapegoat the Native Americans and blame them for all their problems.

• Every time things settled down, Bacon would stir it up again. He was making life more dangerous for everyone in Jamestown.

• Bacon is a racist idiot who needs to shut up before he gets everyone killed.

So What Changed?• Berkeley was still in power.

Bacon was dead.

• Rich people were still rich and lived in Jamestown. They still had all the power and represented England’s needs.

• Poor people were still poor and lived on the frontier and still had frequent squirmishes with the Native Americans.

• Slavery became the main source of labor, because indentured servants were harder to control.