Rebecca Ball
The start of something new
Bacon’s Rebellion
Coming away from England, in the 16th century the New World allowed a place for a fresh start. Jamestown Virginia was the landing plane for the new world. Unlike England, this new place allowed a life style much more freeing. However, with a new system of government, and new freedoms came many new problems. The rebellion that began was the tip of the Iceberg, for these new settlers, unleashing a world of racism and hate that they never knew. This new “World” was unlike anything they had ever seen before. Bacon’s Rebellion was the spring board of future corruption, opening up new discoveries of right and wrong ways to build a system of government. .
William Berkley the governor of Jamestown, appointed by King Charles I, in 1639. The governor started his career in James town, being known for his refined optimism.
In the story of Bacon’s rebellion-Virginia, 1676 it says: “Green Spring some four miles from James Town had become famous for its atmosphere of refinement and good cheer, and as a resort for wondering cavaliers.” People saw him as a leader they could easily follow and respect. Although, William Berkley started his career as governor in this way, his reputation changed over the years into being “stern and selfish,” For example; “He was now grown old in years and sadly changed in character serving a third term; reigning, “one night almost say”. Stern and selfish as he had become….”] [1] Berkeley had a reputation for up holding peace with Native Americans and stirring up anger between colonist based on the peace holdings made with the Native Americans. The colonists including Nathaniel Bacon were angry with Berkeley’s protection and “favor” for the Native Americans.
The frustration felt by Bacon was a common feeling amongst the colonists, like the colonists, Nathanial Bacon was loyal to the King of England. However, his loyalty to government officials was almost non-existent. His belief that the government favored the Native Americans interests over their own people started the rebellion that resulted in many innocent deaths and racism toward the Indians. Bacon wanted access to military trained men and access to weapons, so that he could attack the Susquehanna Indians. His hatred for them was enough to push him towards being called a traitor by the governor of Virginia. He was called a rebel because he threatened to act without permission. The governor was making good profit by trading with the Native Americans and he didn’t want to disturb his profitable endeavor. The colonists faced financial hardship- for example; the tobacco sales were down, and to make matters seem even more unfair, the Native Americans ruled a huge percentage of land. The governor and Bacon were at odds with each other using colonist’s issues as the central power in the fight. The colonists were genuinely in distress and Bacon used the Colonists as a stepping stone to obtain more power. The governor didn’t want to relent from taking bacon down, so he ended up turning the majority of settlers against him.
However, the colonist took side with Bacon because they believed he was the antidote for greater results. The Colonist of New England Virginia Were mostly Indentured servants and lower-class citizens. They were stressed with high paying taxes, land needs, fear of Native Americans, and what they viewed as a corrupt government. The settlers were placed on the back of a shelf as far as their ideas, believe, and even fears went. When the Settlers were faced with problems not at all in their general control they turned to Nathaniel Bacon. Who seemed to have a desire that matched their own and a tenacity to get results. Bacon portrayed a bold hero to the colonist; he stood up to the governor, led a revolt against the Indians, burned down the town, and caused a change. To the colonist Bacon was better than no change at all, (even though he blackmailed the governor into what he wanted and caused more problems then actual good.) The Natives, especially the Susquehanna natives became hostile after Bacon started attacking without warning. The Native Americans retaliated by killing colonist, setting traps, and even capturing them. The Natives lived and dominated the new land first, and they could have by right forcefully pushed the colonist off their land, but instead, most Indians just made peace (or at least tried). “The susquehannocks were an exceedingly fierce tribe of Indians but were, just then, at peace with the English settlers”. The part in the quote “just then”, at peace with the English settlers” is stating how back and forth the Natives emotions were; they are at times peaceful but others times intense and fierce towards settlers. The English and the Native Americans were always fighting, like brothers. if one struck the other, they would strike back but more aggressively each time. The Colonist couldn’t absorb the favor given to the Native Americans by Berkeley. They hated the interest placed in keeping peace with what they saw as a Savage people, and they weren’t shown the respect they thought they deserved as the established people of James Town.
I would argue that Bacon’s actions led to the imbalance of colonist’s emotions and reaction to the situations presented to them. Whether they be friends or Foe” by Michael J. Puglisi believes that “neither group resorted to rebellion against the governments, but both clearly expressed their resentment and dissatisfaction with the treatment they received.” [83}Puglisi gave an in-depth description of Bacon’s rebellion and everything that lead up from it. He later depicted the reactions of every person linked who felt the effect of Bacon’s rebellion. Although Puglisi didn’t choose a side, he did give off a sense of understanding to how bacon’s Rebellion was fed mostly on the concept of power. One might look at the Rebellion as a manipulative strong hand killing Native Americans just because. Or they could look at it as a place in history where everything was a turning point for new rebellions. However I believe Bacon’s Rebellion was the power struggle between Native Americans, colonist, and social government. If you look at the struggle between all of the people involved it shows that it was a consistent sprint to self gain. For example; Daily Life on the Old Colonial Frontier By James M. Volo, Dorothy Denneen Volo: "Nathaniel bacon was only twenty-six, but he maintained a successful plantation on the James river and had enough wealth and influence to sit on council of the elderly royal government.”[191]. Bacon was far more off than most people in Virginia he had money, connections, land, and all of this at a young age. He didn’t need to lead a rebellion because he wasn’t suffering in the way the colonist were; he wanted more power and control over a situation that wasn’t his to deal with. For example: “Human trafficking is a multi- dimensional threat. It deprives people of their human right and freedoms, it is a global health risk and it fuels organized crime.” Human Trafficking is a present day situation that is the result of something in the past that caused a divisional spilt and destructive behavior between people. The rebellion was a lower scale of all these things and used throughout history. Power is something that is designed by people for a greater purpose, but a lot of times it gets out of control causing a different design in the fabric of history. That’s why Bacon’s rebellion was so off balance different people using power in their own design causing issues for later events.
Bacon’s rebellion had a balance of cruelties that can not be decided over the immoral justice; both sides were equally wrong. Mainly because its not justified siding with Native Americans when they killed, set traps, and deceived just as much as the English. But one can’t really side with the English either because they lead a revolt to kill all Native Americans, tried to over throw a government, and also deceived. Bacon’s Rebellion was a power control and it shows two types of people fighting a war because they are afraid. Not because they have a handle on what they were doing, but because without power and control they would be slaves to a corrupt society. Both Native Americans and colonist would be slaves and both wanted freedom. In A Young History of the United States by Howard Zinn and Rebecca Stefoff said: “this was Bacon’s Rebellion. It was not a war of American Colonists against the British. Instead, Bacon’s Rebellion was an uprising of angry, poor colonists against two groups they saw as their enemies.” [35] The two groups that were their enemies; were the Virginia Company and the Native Americans. Bacon’s Rebellion was described in many different ways; Whether Bacon's Rebellion was right or wrong it still made a significant impact for future generations.
The Rebellion in a since was the beginning for new foundations and establishments working out certain kinks that may have caused an even bigger war for the New England territory. The principal it brought was a way to move past what had happened and continue building what they started. Gradually they moved on with a great system of government, but it didn’t take the Rebellion being over for them to fix all the problems. It took years of wars and situations like the rebellion to help shift New England into a place of equal rights and freedoms. Even now though our problems as a country happen to be unresolved and throughout history people have over stepped their bounds into racial discrimination, control, superiority, and lust for power. Bacon’s Rebellion was just a starting point of per destined events being established and built. The behavior of Nathaniel Bacon, William Berkeley, colonist, and Native Americans were all a product of disorganized problems that ultimately shaped America for what it is now.
Work citation.
www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books.com
"A Note on Historical Interpretation" by Leon J. Goldstein
www.conservapedia.com
47 documents
www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books.com
www.newrivernotes.com
“Whether they be friends or foes” “by Michael J. Puglisi”
www.jstor.org
www.books.google.com/books?
http://www.mdx.ac.uk/WWW/STUDY/america.htm#1492
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