Is Bacon A Hero Or A Traitor

Some people believe that Bacon was a hero because he was thinking for the good of the colonist and some think that he was a traitor because he went against his government. I believe that Nathaniel Bacon was a traitor because he went against his government and manipulated the colonists to believe what he wanted him to believe so that he could get what he wanted. He had tried to take control not for the better of his people but for his own personal gain. Bacon’s Rebellion was an American Revolutionary movement for the American colonies because it involved an act against the government, which was a cry for independence, and removal of the Indians. Berkeley and Bacon both did not care about the safety of the colonist but only about expanding their

The colonist had claimed Indian Territory as their own without the permission of the Native Indian tribes. The Indians wanted to recover what was rightfully theirs, so they attacked the settlement. This was against Governor Sir William Berkeley’s plans. He wanted to stay neutral with the Indians for his own personal gain in trading. Berkeley was an unpopular man because he had “restrictions on the right to vote, higher taxes, and lack of protection from the Native Americans” (United States History). Nathaniel Bacon considered the Native Americans to be enemies and dangerous, so he wanted to take them out, which meant going against the government. It was not very hard for Bacon to get an army together. He was a very persuasive man when it came to getting what he

He never forced anyone to participate in his rebellions; however he persuaded the colonists that his way was right. “He used his own resources to come to the people’s defense since the government would not send funds his way” (Kauffman). When Bacon had started obtaining followers for his army is when the thought of a Rebellion Arose. His supports consisted of famers, indentured servants, and slaves. The farmers figured that if they killed the Native Americans they would get more land. As for the indentured servants and slaves Bacon had promised land to them if they followed him and his rebellion. Bacon had a reputation of being a man who could not keep his word. In the article, Bacon’s Rebellion: Treason or Fight for Self-Preservation, it states that “he may have used his influence over a vulnerable group of people, taking advantage of their discontent to further his own personal agenda.” Nathaniel Bacon was power hungry and only cared about controlling Jamestown.

There are many reasons as to why people think that this could be the first American Revolution. One is that this was the first time the English had fought amongst each other. Secondly, it was the first record of the poor fighting for more rights. Bacon’s Rebellion brought forth slavery ending indentured servants which was a big cause during the American Revolution. It allowed men that were free to be