Bacon's Rebellion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bacon's Rebellion |
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The Burning of Jamestown by Howard Pyle, painted around 1905.
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| Date | 1676 | ||
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| Goals | To change Virginia's rules about Native Americans on the frontier. | ||
| Methods | Protests, groups taking law into their own hands. | ||
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Bacon's Rebellion was a major uprising in the Colony of Virginia. It happened from 1676 to 1677. Settlers, led by Nathaniel Bacon, fought against Governor William Berkeley.
Bacon was unhappy with Governor Berkeley for several reasons. He felt left out of important decisions. Berkeley also stopped Bacon from trading furs with Native Americans. Plus, Berkeley would not let Bacon lead attacks against Native American groups.
Attacks by the Doeg people on the frontier made the settlers very angry. They felt Governor Berkeley was not doing enough to protect them. This anger helped start the rebellion.
Contents
Why the Rebellion Started
Early Conflicts with Native Americans
Starting in the 1650s, English colonists began settling new lands. This area was known as Chicacoan. Some Doeg, Patawomeck, and Rappahannock people also moved there. They argued with the settlers over land and resources.
In July 1666, the colonists declared war on these groups. By 1669, settlers had claimed land west of the Potomac River. By 1670, most Doeg people were forced out of Virginia. They moved into Maryland.
The Hog Incident
The English continued to bother the Doeg people. In July 1675, some Doeg warriors crossed the Potomac River. They took hogs from a settler named Thomas Mathew. They said Mathew had not paid them for goods they traded.
Mathew and other colonists chased the Doeg into Maryland. They killed some Doeg people. Sadly, they also killed some innocent Susquehannock people. In return, a Doeg war party attacked Mathew's farm. They killed his son and two workers.
Bacon's Actions
In response, a Virginia militia group, led by Nathaniel Bacon, went into Maryland. They attacked the Doeg and surrounded the Susquehannock. This event led to a bigger conflict against Native Americans in Virginia. This conflict became known as "Bacon's Rebellion."
In 1676, Bacon led his armed group to the Green Dragon Swamp. There, they killed nearly 50 Pamunkey Indians. The Pamunkey chief, Cockacoeske, told her tribe to escape. She ordered them not to harm anyone and to keep their peace treaty.
The Rebellion Spreads
Thousands of Virginians joined Bacon's side. These people came from all social groups and races. This included many indentured servants and enslaved Africans. They rose up against Governor Berkeley.
They attacked Native Americans. They also chased Berkeley out of Jamestown, Virginia. In the end, they burned the capital city to the ground.
How the Rebellion Ended
The rebellion was first stopped by a few armed merchant ships from London. Their captains supported Governor Berkeley. Soon after, government forces arrived from England. They spent several years putting down the remaining resistance. They also changed the colonial government. It was put back under the direct control of the King.
What Happened Next
Bacon's Rebellion was the first major uprising in the American colonies. It involved unhappy settlers from the frontier. A similar uprising happened in Maryland soon after.
The rebellion showed that European indentured servants and enslaved Africans could unite. They were united by their shared experience of being forced to work. This worried the ruling class. To prevent future uprisings, the ruling class made slavery even stricter. They passed the Virginia Slave Codes of 1705. These laws made the racial differences in society much stronger.
Even though the farmers did not achieve their goal of driving Native Americans from Virginia, the rebellion had a big impact. Governor Berkeley was called back to England because of it.
Images for kids
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Ruins of Jamestown (1878 engraving).
