Bacons Rebellion

Primary Source:

This is a diary about Thomas Smith; he lived in England in the late 1600s. At the age of 20 (1668) Thomas Smith now an adult walks the streets of London looking for work. Having heard of riches in America, he heard of a man who would offer free transportation to the Colony of Virginia in North America. The promise of land and free passage to the Colony of Virginia was all Thomas needed. He needed to sign a contract to work for seven years, after having signed the contract Tom became an indentured servant and now his odyssey began in Virginia. After having been an indentured servant for seven years, Tom was very dissatisfied with his servitude. The promise of land and freedom from this contract was not honored at the end of his seven years. During this same period he heard of a rebellion of former slaves, former indentured servants, and other individuals. They were starting this rebellion because of a lack of good land in Virginia. This rebellion was headed by Nathaniel Bacon an individual who felt that he had been denied the political privileges due to a man of his status. Tom also discontent with everything that he had gone through decided to join the rebellion.

Letter:

December 5, 1675

Dear Mother and Father,

It has been seven long years since I signed the contract to work for the cost of the voyage to America and free land. It seemed like it would be easy, but having come here I have been working seven days per week and my days start at five o'clock in the morning and are not through until seven o'clock in the evening every day. The work has been very hard and having come to the end of my contract the promise of land has not been honored. There is nothing I can do about my former masters, no authorities will listen to me, I have no where to turn but to a