Gloucester County Conspiracy facts for kids

The Gloucester County Conspiracy was an important event in early American history. It happened in September 1663. This event is also known as the Servant's Plot or Birkenhead's Rebellion. It was one of the very first slave rebellions in America.

This conspiracy was special because it brought together different groups of people. English, Irish, African, and Indian indentured servants and slaves worked together. Indentured servants were people who agreed to work for a certain number of years. They did this to pay for their trip to America or for other debts. Slaves were people forced to work without pay or freedom.

All these workers were treated very badly. This poor treatment made them unite. The rebellion happened when tobacco farms in Virginia needed many workers. The servants and slaves knew their work was important. They hoped this would make their actions more powerful. This event helped start a movement of slave rebellions.

The Plan for Freedom

On September 1, 1663, a group of indentured servants met. They started to plan their rebellion. They decided to meet again the next Sunday at midnight. They chose a different, secret location. Over the next few days, the men gathered weapons. They wanted to be ready for their fight.

Their main goal was to attack the home of Lieutenant Colonel Francis Willis. He was a powerful person. He was also a member of the governor's council. The servants wanted to force him to agree to their demands. They wanted indentured servants to be freed one year earlier than planned. There were other possible targets, but Willis was their main goal. If he refused their demands, the servants agreed to kill him if needed. The men promised to keep their plan a secret.

The Plot is Stopped

One slave, John Birkenhead, attended the meetings. He had a different idea. John Birkenhead was owned by John Smith. Smith was the first mayor of Warwick County. He was also an officer in the House of Burgesses, a government group.

Birkenhead told the governor about the plot. The governor then made plans to stop the rebellion. The colony was very thankful that the uprising was prevented. They even decided that September 13, 1663, the planned day of the rebellion, should be remembered as a special, holy day.

For his loyalty, John Birkenhead was rewarded. His owner, John Smith, gave him his freedom. Birkenhead also received five thousand pounds of tobacco. This reward was meant to encourage other slaves and servants. It showed them that reporting future rebellions could lead to freedom or other benefits.

The Servant's Plot was one of the first rebellions of its kind. It helped set the stage for many more uprisings in the future.