Causes and Contradictions: Analyzing Bacons Rebellion

Categories: History

One historian has remarked that Bacon’s Rebellion was “a rebellion with abundant causes but without a cause.” Do you agree? What were the causes of Bacon’s Rebellion? Did Nathaniel Bacon have a cause? Did William Berkeley?

In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon marched into Jamestown, Virginia alongside 600 men ready to fight, demanding a military commission. After threatening William Berkeley, the Governor of Virginia and Nathaniel’s own cousin, Bacon was given a military commission. “In the following months, Bacon’s men waged brutal war against the Indians, turned their guns on Berkeley’s government, forced it to flee Jamestown, and burned the colony’s capital to the ground” (Hollitz, 19).

I do not agree with this historian because some of Bacon’s causes for rebellion were important enough to the people living in Virginia to want changes.

Taxes began to rise on tobacco, salaries of the government officials began to increase, and no servants were selected to the council after 1640. In 1675 colonists ordered Governor Berkeley to return with an army after killings by the Indians alongside the Fall Line (The line marking the waterfalls of nearly parallel rivers).

Get quality help now
Writer Lyla
Writer Lyla
checked Verified writer

Proficient in: History

star star star star 5 (876)

“ Have been using her for a while and please believe when I tell you, she never fail. Thanks Writer Lyla you are indeed awesome ”

avatar avatar avatar
+84 relevant experts are online
Hire writer

In March of 1676 the representatives announced war on “all such Indians who … shall be discovered to have committed murders … and depredation” (Hollitz, 23).

Trading with Indians was also now illegal which placed even more economic stress on those traders that needed Indian products to survive. Nathaniel Bacon had a cause for the rebellion after one of his supervisors was killed in a Susquehanna attack. Berkeley’s main reason for being against Bacon’s Rebellion was because he worked out an arrangement in 1644 to avoid conflicts with the Native Americans.

Get to Know The Price Estimate For Your Paper
Topic
Number of pages
Email Invalid email

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

"You must agree to out terms of services and privacy policy"
Write my paper

You won’t be charged yet!

In exchange for a large piece of land, he agreed to keep settlers from pushing farther into their lands. After Bacon’s death on October 26, 1676 his rebellion began to decease and everything was eventually restored back to order.

Updated: Apr 29, 2023
Cite this page

Causes and Contradictions: Analyzing Bacons Rebellion. (2017, Feb 04). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/nathaniel-bacon-essay

Causes and Contradictions: Analyzing Bacons Rebellion essay
Live chat  with support 24/7

👋 Hi! I’m your smart assistant Amy!

Don’t know where to start? Type your requirements and I’ll connect you to an academic expert within 3 minutes.

get help with your assignment