Bacon's Rebellion
Prompt: Explain the underlying causes and the unfortunate consequences of Bacon’s Rebellion. Bacon’s Rebellion had been led by Nathaniel Bacon and had been a struggle to acquire improved land boundaries for those who owned land past the line declared to belong to the Native Americans. The governor at the time had feared the Natives greatly and promised them land they would not cross neglecting the fact free indentured servants owned land there and are susceptible to Native American attacks. Nathaniel Bacon had several reasons for starting the rebellion including the fact the he too owned land there, and he had personal conflicts with the governor, and his dissatisfaction with everything given to him. Consequences of Bacon’s rebellion had been the aggravation of a strong Native American tribe, the destruction of the city and loss of a governor, and the instability of a colony. Bacon’s rebellion had been partly caused by his ownership of land past the border which had led to the aggravation of the Susquehannock. Nathaniel Bacon had been among many who were given land in the backcountry and past the land in which Governor Berkley had declared belonged to the Native Americans. The Susquehannock had been a strong, powerful, mighty tribe that resided on the outskirts of the Virginia colony. Bacon had believed that the land borders should be changed in order for them to avoid attacks from the Native Americans as they believed they were trespassing onto their land. Bacon and many other indentured servants who had gained their freedom owned land in which Berkeley gave to the Natives. After some retaliation of a small Indian tribe, Bacon had gathered the other farmers and was “forced” to pursue them. Through this, they had angered a much larger tribe, the Susquehannock tribe, and created a new threat for the colony. His act of rebellion against the governor had excited their actions past the line, such as attack the Native Americans clearly against the governor’s