Nathaniel bacon rebellion

Biography of Nathaniel Bacon

Nathaniel Bacon was born in the 1640s into a wealthy English family. The exact date of his birth and other details of his early life are unknown. However, it is known that his father sent him to Virginia to remove him from his unruly behavior, which was disturbing the peace of the family.

Upon arriving in Virginia, Bacon quickly became a successful plantation owner, aided by the fact that the governor, who happened to be his relative and the husband of his cousin, supported him. However, this information is disputed by several sources.

During this time, English colonists were actively settling the lands of Virginia, and as they moved westward, their relations with the indigenous people became increasingly tense. The state governor, from whom the colonists expected assistance, was reluctant to provide aid as the relative peace with the Native Americans was beneficial for the fur trade.

As a result of prolonged disputes, certain measures were taken, which led to the monopolization of the fur trade by Governor William Berkeley and his associates, leaving the ordinary planters and colonists excluded. The Native Americans were divided into "bad" and "good". Notably, the tax burden on the simple farmers was much lighter compared to the privileged classes, which also angered Nathaniel Bacon. He openly accused the governor and state authorities of corruption.

Soon, Bacon gathered a volunteer army with the intention of fighting the Native Americans on his own. However, the governor naturally refused to recognize his authority. Undeterred, Bacon decided to act without the governor's sanction. In response, Berkeley declared him a rebel and issued an arrest warrant.

Thus, in 1676, Bacon's Rebellion began. After the siege of Jamestown, Bacon and his followers managed to persuade the authorities to pass several laws, including equalizing taxes for all.

Subsequently, Bacon and his men set out to fight the Native Americans again. One of the laws Bacon forced the authorities to pass stated that Native American captives could be considered slaves. Taking advantage of the absence of the rebel leader, the governor attempted to capture his men, but the plan failed. In response, Bacon once again besieged Jamestown. This happened several times, with Bacon's army growing larger each time and the hatred of the townspeople towards Governor Berkeley growing day by day.

In September 1676, the state capital was once again under siege. Interestingly, in protest against Governor Berkeley, the townspeople themselves set fire to their homes. On October 26, 1676, Nathaniel Berkeley unexpectedly died of dysentery, leaving the rebellion without a leader. The rebellion was quickly suppressed as people began to flee. Order in the state was restored very soon, but Governor William Berkeley also lost his position and was sent back to England.

Bacon's Rebellion served as a precursor to the future movement of the North American colonies for their independence.