Bacon's Rebellion Summary and Definition: Bacon's Rebellion was an uprising in 1676 - 1677 against American Indians and the colonial government in the Virginia Colony over taking reprisal action for alleged thefts by the Native Americans.
It was led by Nathaniel Bacon, a wealthy 29-year-old planter, in opposition to the Governor of Virginia, Sir William Berkeley. Bacon's Rebellion was the first rebellion in the American colonies.
The Significance and Effects of Bacon's Rebellion
The effects and significance of Bacon's Rebellion in history is that the government in Virginia became frightened by the threat of Civil War (the English Civil War was still fresh in everyone's memory). Bacon's Rebellion was the first rebellion in the American Colonies.
Bacon's Rebellion and the Declaration of the People set a precedent for future Americans to obtain equality. The Declaration of the People initiated the principle of the consent of the people
The discovery of tobacco started the plantation economy in Virginia and created a demand for cheap labor filled at first by poor, white Indentured servants and then by black slaves. The indentured servants and slaves had joined in Bacon's Rebellion. The fear of another such uprising prompted the hardening of racial lines associated with slavery, as a way for planters and the colony to control the poor
Bacon's Rebellion unified different races and economic classes
Every effort was made to improve the image of those who governed Virginia
Taxes were reduced
Freeman were given back their rights
The colonists were also appeased by the adoption of a more aggressive Indian policy
The notion that Indians and whites could not live together peaceably was enforced, which led to the introduction of the Indian Reservation system in 1677
