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Bacons Rebellion Essay

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        A meritorious illustration of a population eradicating an abhorred and nefarious government occurred in Jamestown, Virginia. This momentous event was Bacon’s Rebellion. This revolt affected an abundancy of the population both colonists and Native Americans. This rebellion had adverse ramifications for both groups. There was definitively no winner albeit all was forfeited by one population. Colonists were battling for their freedoms yet Native American freedoms were forfeited. Bacon's Rebellion occurred in 1676 and could be considered one of the most prominent undertakings against bureaucracy. This act orchestrated unification amidst colonists of different cultural and economic statuses. Bacon’s Rebellion unified colonists, segregated Native Americans, and exposed a fraudulent colonial bureaucracy albeit providing a blueprint for colonial successfulness.

        There are numerous points taken from Nathaniel Bacon’s article Bacon’s Rebellion: The Declaration (1676). These decisive arguments derived from the perceptions that resonated amongst colonists with regards to Governor William Berkeley. These colonists perceived the notion of higher taxation as being preposterous and harsh. Colonists ridiculed the notion of non-prejudicial treatment towards the Native Americans whom occupied Jamestown, Virginia. Colonists also alleged corruption and scathed the government for valuing the Native Americans over themselves. A distinguishable illustration derived from Bacon’s commentary explains “Economic and social power became concentrated in late seventeenth-century Virginia, leaving laborers and servants with restricted economic independence (Par.1).” This example illustrates the many inconsistencies colonists faced. Colonists deemed it appropriate to propitiate a significant change pertaining to taxation, corruption, and nepotism as the colonists dismissed the concept of accepting the status quo.

        Prior to the nefarious deed that escalated Bacon’s Rebellion, tensions amidst colonists and Native Americans were unendurable. The act that lead to the revolt has been described by author James Stokes, in his novel Of the People A History of the United States volume 1: 1877 “Seeking payment for goods they had delivered to a planter, a band of Doeg Indians killed the planter’s overseer and tried to steal his hogs (pg.101)”. Such horrendous acts had been deemed acceptable prior to this escalation. Colonists and Native Americans alike sought reparations for transgressions against their respective parties. Occasionally colonists were conniving, and took ascendancy of the Native Americans.  Native Americans were not only colluded for their goods, they were also conscripted of their land. Albeit some Native Americans still honored the colonists there obedience flourished when counseled were to colonize, even as their acreage diminished. The colonists where focused on gluttony verses moral tranquility.

        A shortage of acreage, and extended life expectancies hindered demands. As derived from the lecture narrated by Dr. DeAnna Beachley, Colonial Slavery “People lived longer, which included the indentured servants. This places increased pressure on the land, since indentures who completed their contracts received 50 acres of land (par.1).” This notion perplexes the relationship amidst the colonist and the Native Americans. These perplexities revolved around the notions that the Native Americans inhabited land that was deemed valuable by the colonists. The tension amidst both sides became increasingly volatile, yet no imminent threats were conceivable.

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