Bacon’s Rebellion and its Impact on the British Colonies
It was 1674 in Jamestown, Virginia. Long time has passed since the foundation of Jamestown back in 1607. Throughout the years more people came to settle in the colonies. Like those many others Nathaniel Bacon, an English farmer, just came from England. When he came he saw the conflicts between the farmers and the Natives, because of that he and the other settlers waged war on Natives. However this was viewed as a rebellious act against the government by council and the governor. Bacon was told to stop, but he continued his rebellion against the Natives and soon the government. Bacon’s Rebellion was the first rebellion in America which showed the power of the people against the government
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Before the rebellion the settlers were going against the Natives but now with their governor calling them a rebel they rebelled. There were eight actions that the document accused the governor and the wealthy of doing. The eight accusations included: unjust tax raises which weren’t used for town defenses or improvements, abusing the government system and favoring one than other, using the king’s right for self profit and interest through beaver trades, for protecting and favor the Natives more than the people of the town, for not taking care of the Natives when they attack and pillage, for framing an army that they are against the king when it was actually for protection, and for not allowing the people to protect themselves with their own army (Bacon, “Declaration of the People”). With this document Bacon built himself a bigger army with the help of the indentured servants and slaves by promising them their freedom. As things were going out of control the governor moved to safety while in Jamestown, Bacon and the rebels burned it to ashes (Waldrip). However the rebellion had ended with the death of Nathaniel Bacon which ended the rebellious spirit of the people after crushing the Natives too