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 rebellion arose due to discontent among backcountry farmers about their representation in government and handling of Native American relations.

Related terms

Colonial Resistance: This refers to various forms of protest and opposition that American colonists used against British policies prior to the Revolutionary War. It includes boycotts, petitions, and sometimes violent actions like Bacon’s Rebellion.

Nathaniel Bacon: He was a colonist of the Virginia Colony, famous as the instigator of Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, which collapsed when he suddenly died from dysentery.

Governor William Berkeley: He was a colonial governor of Virginia, and one of the Lords Proprietors of the Colony of Carolina; he was appointed to these posts by King Charles I, for whom he was a favorite. His autocratic rule triggered discontent that eventually led to Bacon’s Rebellion.