Bacon's Rebellion

In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon lead a rebellion in Virginia aimed at the Governor William Berkeley. He lead others who were displeased with the way the colony was being lead and wanted change. He and is followers resented that Berkeley and his cronies were getting rich and the abuse of power that Berkeley was showing in the courts. The poor farmers were becoming resentful of government oppression run by the wealthy families. The neglectful government, ridiculous taxes, violent conflict on the frontier, and lack of protection form the government led to an clash between classes led by Bacon and his followers who wanted change.

By the late 1600s, Virginia has grown from a small settlement to settled colony that has become prosperous but at the same time was experiencing social, political, and the economic stress of a new expanding society eager to grow. The Virginians ran into many problems as time wore on. Tobaccos prices were dropping and the farmers were losing profit. They were producing more and the Navigation Acts passed by Parliament were restricting American tobacco exports causing even more strain on the farmers, who were not very wealthy and could only take so much. They exhausted their land because they did not know about rotating crops. They wanted to move west but were not allowed to. The land was controlled by the king in England and gave the land away to his friends and also let the wealthy get away with not paying taxes. While at the same time, the farmers were put under "heavy restraints and burdens laid upon by act of Parliament in England"# and "the extravagant taxes they were forced to undergo."#

While the farmers have to put up with the extravagant taxes, they also have to worry about conflicts with the Indians. Violence was increasing as the settlers moved west and the Indians were raiding and settling from the neighboring whites. The farmers wanted revenge and called on the government from protection. Protection was one thing that the farmers were not getting. Nathanial Bacon's wife wrote " The Indians are killing people daily but the Governor is so much their friend that he would not allow anybody to hurt one of the Indians"# While colonists are being attacked and dying, the Governor does nothing to protect them and he even sends word to the Indians to watch out for Bacon.

By September of 1676 news of the rebellion had already reached England. A commission was made to investigate it and a narrative was presented to the King in October of 1677. They accused Bacon of "killing some of them who were our best Friends,"# referring to the natives and of also not "understanding the difference between Friendly Indians and Indian Enemies."# They claimed that Bacon was out of control, acting irresponsibly, and killing every Indian claiming to spare none. When Bacon reaches Jamestown the commission notes that Bacon "begins to show a more merciless severity and absolute authority than formerly, Plundering an imprisoning many and condemning show by power of martial law."# This paints