Bacon's Rebellion Research Paper

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Bacon’s Rebellion was a revolt by poor farmers against both the aristocracy of the Jamestown settlement and the frontier Native Americans. The rebellion can be described as both anti-aristocratic and anti-Native American. Severe social and racial tensions and conflicts led to the outbreak of rebellion. Jamestown colony became a large exporter of tobacco. Most settlers were farmers or indentured servants. However, as living conditions improved, farmers live longer lives and began to amass greater wealth. Simultaneously, more indentured servants were becoming free men, and a distinction arose among the wealthy and poor farmers. Wealthy farmers were atop the social hierarchy and help important positions in local government, including the ability …show more content…

Although both sides participated in trade when Jamestown was a fledgling colony, tensions concerning British expansion and encroachment were high. Violence often broke out, with both sides engaging in killing, raiding, and looting. The British often viewed the Native Americans as savages and uncivilized people. They believed that a people who did not follow conventions of British society were lower life forms. The ideology was similar in the New England colonies as well. As a result of incurred resistance upon expansion and conflicts such as King Philips’s war, British settlers began to abhor Native Americans. Colonists became convinced that the Native Americans were the enemy, and that their savagery was justification for expansion and violence. Another source of discrimination against Native Americans was their faith. The British believed that Christianity was the true religion, and the Native Americans should be converted or regarded as heathens. Many differences created a diplomatic, social, and racial gap between Native Americans and British …show more content…

Forced into the frontier to find livable land, their hatred for the Native Americans was exemplified through many border conflicts. Bacon and his followers believed that although social and political hierarchies are for the better, the elite had abused their powers and were wronging the people. Opechancanough, successor to Powhatan, launched raids on the Jamestown settlements. The resolution of the conflict granted the British some frontier lands, but protected others from expansion. While the treaty seemed to be beneficial to both sides, the increasing British population needed to expand, and settlers continued to encroach on Native American lands. Bacon and his following were poor farmers who desired to expand. While the aristocrats attempted to create peace, Bacon desired to eliminate the Native Americans and claim the land for the farmers. Bacon also took up grievances with the elite farmers, and waged a war against two groups of people. Bacon continued his attacks on the Native Americans and created some short-term changes in local government. However, after seeing Bacon and his men as a threat to the colony, the aristocrats received aid from the British government and ended the rebellion. Although the rebellion ended in disaster, years of social and racial tensions and conflict led up to a violent

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