Name:___________________ Date:____________________Bacon’sRebellion:TheDeclaration1676

PrimarySourceAnalysis

Background:Bythelate1670s,manyofthefreewhitemeninVirginiawereformerindenturedservants(A)who,althoughtheyhadcompletedtheirservitude,hadlittlemoneytobuyland.Becausetheydidnotownland,theycouldnotvoteandthereforeenjoyedalmostnorightsincolonialsociety.ThesepoorcolonistslivedmainlyonthewesternoutskirtsofVirginia,wheretheyconstantlyfoughtwithNativeAmericansforland.(B)

GovernorWilliamBerkeleyfearedrebellion:“sixpartsofSevenatleastarePoore,Indebted,DiscontentedandArmed.”PlanterNathanielBaconfocusedinlandcolonists’angeratlocalIndians,whotheyfeltwereholdingbacksettlement,andatadistantgovernmentunwillingtoaidthem.(C)Inthesummerandfallof1676,Baconandhissupportersroseupandplunderedtheelite’sestatesandslaughterednearbyIndians.AfterGovernorBerkeleydeclaredBacon’sarmyillegal,BaconmarchedhismentoJamestowntoconfrontthecolonialleadersaboutanumberofgrievances.ThemarchturnedviolentandrebelssetfiretothetownasBerkeleyandothersfledbyship.(D)However,amonthaftertherebellion,Baconbecameillanddied.BerkeleywasabletoreturntoJamestownandeasilysubduetheleaderlessrebels.(E)

Inthefollowingexcerpts,youwillreaddirectlyfromBacon’sDeclaration.

A. Useadictionaryortextbooktodefineindenturedservants.

B. Wheredidmostformalindenturedservantslive?

C. WhodidNathanielBaconblamefortheproblemsfacingthepoorcolonistslivingontheoutskirtsofVirginia?

D. HowdidNathanielBaconrespondwhenGovernorBerkeleydeclaredhisarmyillegal?

E. WhathappenedtoNathanielBacon?

NathanielBacon

Name:___________________ Date:____________________Excerpts from “The Declaration 1676” by

Nathaniel Bacon

Excerpt1:“Forhaving,uponspeciouspretensesofpublicworks,raisedgreatunjusttaxesuponthecommonaltyfortheadvancementofprivatefavoritesandothersinisterends,butnovisibleeffectsinanymeasureadequate;fornothaving,duringthislongtimeofhisgovernment,inanymeasureadvancedthishopefulcolonyeitherbyfortifications,towns,ortrade.”Excerpt2:“Forhavingprotected,favored,andemboldenedtheIndiansagainsthisMajesty’sloyalsubjects,nevercontriving,requiring,orappointinganydueorpropermeansofsatisfactionfortheirmanyinvasions,robberies,andmurderscommitteduponus.”Excerpt3:“Forhaving,whenthearmyofEnglishwasjustuponthetrackofthoseIndians,whonowinallplacesburn,spoil,murderandwhenwemightwitheasehavedestroyedthemwhothenwereinopenhostility,forthenhavingexpresslycountermandedandsentbackourarmybypassinghiswordforthepeaceabledemeanorofthesaidIndians,whoimmediatelyprosecutedtheirevilintentions,committinghorridmurdersandrobberiesinallplaces,beingprotectedbythesaidengagementandwordpastofhimthesaidSirWilliamBerkeley…”Excerpt4:“weaccuseSirWilliamBerkeleyasguiltyofeachandeveryoneofthesame,andasonewhohastraitorouslyattempted,violated,andinjuredhisMajesty’sinterestherebyalossofagreatpartofthishiscolonyandmanyofhisfaithfulloyalsubjectsbyhimbetrayedandinabarbarousandshamefulmannerexposedtotheincursionsandmurderoftheheathen.”

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