Bacon, Nathaniel
January 2, 1647
London, England
October, 1676
Jamestown, Virginia
Colonial leader and landowner
"Gentlemen of your quality come very rarely into this country."
William Berkeley's comment to Nathaniel Bacon.
Nathaniel Bacon was a political leader and landowner in seventeenth-century Virginia who rose to prominence at a time when the colony was in turmoil. Wide divisions in social classes had produced a sense of unrest, especially among frontier farmers, who had little protection from Native Americans. The situation was brought to a crisis when the British governor, William Berkeley (see entry), adopted the Franchise Act of 1670. The law created an elite government by restricting the voting rights to a chosen few. Bacon became a popular leader when he supported farmers who felt left out of the governing process and needed protection from Native Americans who raided their farms. Bacon's Rebellion of 1676 began after Bacon raised a militia (citizens' army) and stormed the steps of the assembly building in Jamestown, Virginia. Throughout the uprising Bacon enjoyed the popular support of the people as he attempted to force Berkeley from office. Historians have debated Bacon's impact on colonial history, many linking his rebellion to the beginning of slavery in America.
This is a free page. This page contains 201 words. This
article contains 2,044 words (approx. 7 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Article with our Bacon, Nathaniel Access Pass.
