Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

Bacon's Rebellion was the culmination of a series of events that aggravated small Virginia back-country tobacco farmers, and it played a large role in the development of race-based chattel slavery in the United States. In 1675–6 small farmers were faced with repeated attacks from Native Americans, low tobacco prices, and high taxes. The Virginia Colony, led by Sir William Berkeley, was perceived as ineffectual, particularly with regards to protection against Native American attacks. In the previous year, colonists retaliating against a Doeg attack on a plantation mistakenly attacked the Susquehannocks. Governor Berkeley organized a meeting with the Susquehannocks that led to the death of several tribesmen. This provoked increased attacks upon plantations, but the government would not take military action. Berkeley called for restraint on the part of the colonists. Nathaniel Bacon and other colonists refused. In the spring of 1676, Bacon requested a commission to fight against the Native Americans but was not granted one. Against the wishes of the governor, he seized a group of friendly Appamattox, and Berkeley declared him a rebel because of his disregard for the government. In March 1676 Berkeley called the Long Assembly, which supplied friendly natives with ammunition and powder and set up a defensive perimeter around the colony. Further taxes were levied against the already overtaxed ... log in or subscribe to read full text