Bacon’s Rebellion

Definition

Bacon's Rebellion was an armed rebellion in 1676 by Virginia settlers led by Nathaniel Bacon against the rule of Governor William Berkeley. The colonists were unhappy with how Berkeley was dealing with Native American threats on the frontier.

Analogy

Imagine if a group of students (the rebels) got upset at their school principal (Governor Berkeley) for not dealing with bullies (Native Americans). They decide to protest and demand change, which is essentially what happened during Bacon's Rebellion.

Related terms

Nathaniel Bacon: A wealthy colonist who led the rebellion against Governor Berkeley. He's like the student body president leading the protest against the principal.

Indentured Servants: Men and women who signed a contract by which they agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for transportation to Virginia. They played a significant role in Bacon's Rebellion.

House of Burgesses: The elected representative element of the Virginia General Assembly, established by England. It was unable to control or prevent events like Bacon's Rebellion from occurring.