Portfolio: Essay #1

Essay 1; Bacon's Rebellion
------Bacon’s Rebellion is a perfect example of prejudice beliefs towards the Natives. I believe that the fuse on Bacon’s Rebellion sparked from bias feelings towards the Natives. From Nathaniel Bacon Jr.’s influential actions, others began to join in on the rebellion. Bacon’s actions towards the Natives were wrong. The actions made was the first step towards the downfall of the colony. Nathaniel Bacon viewed the Natives as the enemies which brought upon the rebellion.
------Bacon’s Rebellion was a rebellion that created conflict between the Natives and the colonists in Virginia. This rebellion was known as “an uprising of angry, poor colonists against [. . .] the Indians (Zinn). Nathaniel Bacon Jr. was looked upon by the colonists as a strong leader that could help the poor colonists with their financial issues. However, Bacon saw the Natives as the common enemy and wanted all Natives banned from Virginia. Bacon’s malevolent feelings toward the Natives pushed himself to form a group of people living in the colony to rebel towards the Natives. Bacon decided to ban the Natives from the colony. Bacon took advantage of the Natives and the colonists in order to get his way. Taking advantage of innocent vulnerable human beings is wrong and it gives other people the wrong message. He explained to the colonists that if all of the Natives were out of the colonial territory, that all will live peacefully and all issues will be resolved. Bacon “found the Indians in all places unwilling to [leave and] […], they [. . .] were forced to go [quiet] […] southward”(Document#21). With the Natives sent away, Bacon felt like he dominated them and gained more power over the colonists. He felt as if he has gained so much power that slowly he could change every single Virginian Colonists to go with his plan and have loyal followers behind him. The main reason for Bacon sending the Natives away is because he wanted to take all of their land and use it for himself. Bacon is a selfish man that believed he could gained power over the Natives and take control over them . From Bacon’s actions, more damage was done than resolved.
------Bacon started to build a title for himself and he started to believe that he could have his way and make the colonists believe his words. For three months, Bacon was at war with the Natives. However, Bacon saw how unpleased his followers became with Bacon targeting the Natives and not the rich so, Bacon told his followers a negotiation. He promised the poor colonists that they will as well rebel towards the rich. The colonists did not believe that the natives had anything to do with the economy’s downfall. Natives lived with a struggle and worked hard to be where they were standing. The Colonists believed that the rich was much more privileged and did not have to live hard during the down fall of the economy. Bacon “probably cared more about fighting Indians than about helping the poor”(Zinn). “Bacon’s extra-legal army bent on revenge [by] attack[ing] the peaceful [innocent] Indian Village” (Puglisi). Bacon and his followers burned down houses, and attacked innocent Natives that were living in the colony. Bacon’s manipulative words persuaded his followers into believing that the Natives did in deed take part of the downfall for the economy. His twisted words made the colonists believe that they were suffering because of the Native’s contributions towards the community. With Bacon’s manipulative, malevolent behaviors, Governor William Berkeley took immediate attention to Bacon and took matters into his own hands.
------Governor Berkeley felt differently towards the Natives. He believed that the colonists should leave the Natives alone and not create a war between the colonists and the Natives. However, Bacon believed “I am sure if the Indians were not cowards, they might have destroyed all the upper plantations and killed all the people upon them”(Document #9). With Bacon pursuing in the rebellion, “the rebellion convulsed Chesapeake politics and society, leaving in its wake death, destruction, and a legacy of hostility between the great planters and their poorer neighbors”(The American Promise, p.91). Bacon’s actions only brought pain and sufferings into the colony. What Bacon desired to look at was the fact that if he does not take action, the Natives would make a disaster in the colony. From Bacon’s actions, it provokes the Natives to get back at the colony for revenge . But, when Bacon and his followers finally “gained the upper hand [by] capturing and murdering the old chief”(The American Promise, p.91), total chaos struck the colony. Governor Berkeley was outraged and a treaty was made. The madness of the fighting had to be put to a stop. The treaty states, “that the government tried to maintain for the next thirty years [and] the Indians relinquished all claims to land already settle by the English” (The American Promise, p.91). However, the poor colonists that were associated with Bacon did not keep to the treaty. More and more servants, poor colonists, and freed servants kept surfacing, and settled on the Native’s territory which then the treaty broke. Throughout the 1660s and 1670s, the Natives and colonists stayed at war against each other. Fighting back was the only way for the Natives to make their statement. They were not going anywhere and Bacon would have to deal with the fact. However, Bacon on the other hand, told the government, “[that] the protected and Darling Indians Design[ed] not only to ruine and extirpate all Indians in Generall but all Manner of Trade and Commerce with them”(The American Promise, p.91). Extirpating the Natives was a perfect excuse to keep the Natives away for good.
------Berkeley “pronounced Bacon a[s] a rebel, [and] threatened to punish him for treason”(Them American Promise, p.91) but, he could trick Bacon into a new election for the House of Burgesses. What Berkeley did not know is that Bacon’s name has gained a title and became very popular within the colony. Bacon has also gained many loyal followers that shall always be by Bacon’s side. The elections blew up at Berkeley and “was replaced by local leaders including Bacon”(92). Bacon has several followers and now he also has the power of the legislation. His malevolent feelings towards the Natives started to surface with the new laws made within the colony. Since Bacon has the power, he believed that he might as well use it to get what he wants. Having Bacon in the House of Burgesses can cause much chaos in the colony. With all his power, “Bacon’s forces fought the Indians sacked the grandees’ plantations, and attacked Jamestown”(The American Promise, p.92). Bacon’s actions were meaningless, and destructive. Bacons actions only led to more problems. None of his actions were made to help change the living environment for the poor colonists. The only reason why the rebellion has been going on for so long is because Bacon was not satisfied until every Native in Virginia were demolished. In the middle of the rebellion, Bacon unexpectedly died. “ The rebellion didn’t last long after that”(Zinn). The colonists did not know what to do or where to go after Bacon’s death. Since they no longer had Bacons manipulative input on situations, the colonists just stopped rebelling. Now that Bacon is gone, the colonists slowly realized that fighting with the Natives was pointless. However, the colonists still believed that the Natives needed to live away from the colony so that everyone could live safe. "The Indians had their land seized by white frontiersmen”(Zinn). They still treated the Natives as a problem. Even after Bacon’s death, the colonist’s feelings towards the Natives were not at great terms. Bacon has truly impacted the views and lives of the colonists.
------Like Bacon’s Rebellion, if you judge by the different characteristics in a person’s appearance, you will walk down the road of regret and shame. If you look at the today, there are children and even adults who has bias views towards others. From those views, many people of other races have been killed or beat. As a result, Bacon’s Rebellion was a clear example of prejudice and bias views that were happening during the 1600s. Bacon’s Rebellion clearly impacted history for generations. The relationship between the Natives and Colonists will always be known as a never ending fight. Nathaniel Bacon has truly impacted the views of the colonists and changed the colonization process for the Natives in Virginia. Nathaniel Bacon’s actions will always be remembered as strong bias beliefs targeted only towards Natives.