What Was Bacon's Rebellion

Bacon’s followers into rebellion. Frances Berkeley’s statement was witnessed and signed by Sir William, Sir Henry Chicheley, a member of the Council of State, the Reverend John Clough, rector of James City Parish, and Captain James Crews. The latter’s presence at Green Spring is puzzling.19 Crews had urged Bacon to take the illegal action of leading armed men against the Indians without a commission from Berkeley. He was executed at Green Spring in January 1677 for his part in the rebellion. Crews may have visited the Berkeleys after his election to the June Assembly, 1676, perhaps to try and bring about some resolution of the struggle between Berkeley and Bacon.

Many of the reasons the American colonies believed they were justified in their rebellion from England lay in trade and taxes. When George III inherited the throne at the end of the Seven Years’ War England’s debt had risen to 145 million pounds and his chief minister believed that the American colonies needed to help shoulder the debt. (Nash, et al., 2007. , p. 134) In attempting to collect these taxes from the colonies to relieve the mounting debt Parliament passed a range of acts, which led to discontent among the colonists as many of them restricted trade, their political maneuverability and left many believing they infringed upon their “right to be taxed only by their own consent.”

From the American Revolution to the 1950s, the most common understanding of Bacon's Rebellion was that it was a precursor of the American Revolution, a premature revolt against British tyranny that represented but a temporary setback for American liberty. American revolution, in no way, can it ever be compared it Bacon’s rebellion. The key concepts American revolution was liberty and democracy -- which there was none found in Bacon’s rebellion.

Bacon’s Rebellion was a historical event that demonstrated Nathaniel Bacon being a hero and left many short and long-term effects on the nation. Bacon’s rebellion happened in 1676 in Virginia in a time of unrest between the colonists and the Native Americans that lived there. Bacon rebellion was between Nathaniel Bacon and Governor William Berkeley. As stated in Bacon’s Rebellion by Jill Kauffman, it was over the “Indian policy on the colony’s frontier.” (1) Bacon had many reasons to lead a rebellion against Governor William Berkeley.

It was all for a personal gain that just entirely corrupted our country. He was only trying to overthrow me, and become the general of defeating the Indians. Even when he did name himself the “General by Consent of the People”(8) during the rebellion; he did not consult with any of his followers. This further illustrates my point, that all Bacon cared about was defeating my authority, not encountering “the greatest difficulties and dangers”(3) for his followers. Nathaniel Bacon was not an honorable man that he perceived himself to be.

In addition, Berkeley lost a great amount of his colony because he protected the Indian land, limiting many settlers the opportunity to obtain land and their liberty. Liberty during 1676 meant owning land and is why Bacon fought for their opportunity to obtain

In Bacon’s “Manifesto” where he justifies his rebellion against Governor Berkeley, he says, “Let truth be bold and all the world know the real foundations of pretended guilt… Let us trace… [the] men in authority and favor to whose hands the dispensation of the countr[y’s] wealth has been committed.” (Document H) All-in-all, Bacon was dissatisfied with Governor

In this document Bacon declares himself General by the consent of the people and asserts that Governor Sir William Berkeley and his supporters have used their power to commit crimes against the people of Virginia and the English Crown. The document cites eight grievances related to unjust taxes, inadequate protection from the Indians, and government corruption. Bacon calls for the immediate surrender or capture of Berkeley and 23

Events that occurred during the American Revolution Ever wondered what led to the American revolution? Or what happened in early America? This will be covering events during the period of 1763 – 1775 that caused conflict between colonial America and Great Britain. Furthermore, how the Virtual Representation of 1775 represents American colonist’s feelings about the Crown and the Great Britain Parliament. Moreover, the arguments and justification for independence of Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson.

In 1676 an uprising occurred known as Bacon’s Rebellion. This Rebellion was lead by Nathaniel Bacon. Virginians who resented Governor William Berkley’s friendly policies towards the Native Americans rose against him by joining the rebellion. “.. For then having expressly countermanded and sent back our army by passing his word for the peaceable demeanor of the said Indians, who immediately prosecuted their evil intentions, committing horrid murders and robberies in all places, being protected by the said engagement and word past of him the said Sir William Berkeley.” (Bacon’s Rebellion: The Declaration)

Thesis: Rice appears to have two major arguments in his book. The first argument is that Bacon’s Rebellion had a lasting impact on early America. He ties the rebellion to later anti-Catholic sentiment and ultimately how the English colonists responded to the Glorious Revolution. His second argument is that race played a significant role in unifying colonists, specifically by giving them an outside enemy and reducing some internal class tensions. This argument culminates in his assertion that Bacon’s Rebellion was critical for the development of the Old South.

This led to Bacon’s Rebellion, a gang of impoverished and landless former servants attacked the capital of the colony and plundered the homes of the wealthy. Both colonies constituted a successful form of government; however, both governments were carried out in dissimilar ways. The establishment of two primitive English colonies, Jamestown and Massachusetts Bay Colony had many homogeneous attributes and differences. Both had an adequate relationship with the Native Americans that deteriorated and

On 22 April 1677 Charles II’s commissioners, Sir John Berry, Colonel Herbert Jeffreys and Francis Moryson, visited the colony’s governor, Sir William Berkeley, and his wife, Frances, at Green Spring House. The three men had been sent to Virginia with a large armed force to suppress Bacon’s Rebellion and discover its causes by hearing the people’s grievances. The commissioners’ purpose was to bid farewell to the governor, whom the king had summoned to England. Colonel Jeffreys, who commanded the English troops, was designated to replace Berkeley during the latter’s absence. However, Berkeley was old and frail and unlikely to return to the colonyOn 22 April 1677 Charles II’s commissioners, Sir John Berry, Colonel Herbert Jeffreys and Francis

Nathaniel Bacon is one of the few rebellious people whose name has been taught from school to school in America. “Why is that?” , you may ask, “Why him? Why is his rebellion significant in American history?”. Bacon’s rebellion used to be seen as the start of the American Revolution, but now, modern historians have uncovered the truth of the Virginian Rebellion of 1676.

When looking at the social and political changes that took place during the early American colonies you can see a steady progression towards ideologies that would lead to the Revolution. When you have different levels of government being put in place by the states depending upon their needs, where rural areas had different court systems than more urban areas, you see a level of independence for governance that the colonists began to see the benefit of having, separate from the rule of the Crown. To counter this increase in independence. the Crown implemented ever changing political positions that could be assigned to those who were loyal to the Crown and the social hierarchy that was prevalent in Britain at the time. These actions of corruption