Instability, War and Rebellion

New England’s Indian wars Puritan-Pequot War: Had an alliance with the Dutch (English did not like that ) Began with the killing of English trader John Oldham May 1637 combined force of Militia from Mass and Conn along with Narragansett and Mohegan warriors attack a Pequot village and massacred 500 men, woman and children. Drove out the remaining Pequot and divided their land When questioned whether they should take the Native land, John Winthrop questioned why God would subject the Natives to small pox unless they were the righteous ones. Others tried to convert Natives…not kill them.

Metacom’s War/King Philips War: 1675-1676 By the 1670s Europeans outnumbered Indians 3 to 1 Wampanoag leader Metacom (King Philip) felt it was no longer possible to live alongside the Europeans Metacom created an alliance with the Narragansett's and Nipmucks and attacked white settlements throughout New England Fighting went on for a year until Natives ran short of gun powder and Mass. Bay Colony hired Mohegan and Mohawk warriors who killed Metacom. Effects: Natives destroyed 1/5 of English towns in Mass and RI Killed 1,000 settlers (5% of adult population) 4,500 Natives died (about ¼ of their population) Natives forced to move west Did not eliminate the Native Americans but destroyed their ability to be independent people

Bacon’s Rebellion Causes Low prices for tobacco High taxes which were believed to be unjust Land: Disputes over Native Indian homelands increased Demands from farmers that Powhatan Indians should be removed from their treaty-protected lands. Increasing hostilities from the Indians and the belief that the Governor of Virginia was not providing adequate protection Corruption: Resentment towards the Governor of Virginia who gave special privileges to his favorites and deprived the freemen of their rights Increased commercial competition from Maryland and the Carolinas

Bacon’s Rebellion Effects The government in Virginia became frightened by the threat of Civil War (the English Civil War was still fresh in everyone's memory). Bacon's Rebellion was the first rebellion in the American Colonies. The People set a precedent for future Americans to obtain equality. The Declaration of the People initiated the principle of the consent of the people The discovery of tobacco started the plantation economy in Virginia and created a demand for cheap labor filled at first by poor, white indentured servants and then by black slaves. The indentured servants and slaves had joined in Bacon's Rebellion. The fear of another such uprising prompted the hardening of racial lines associated with slavery, as a way for planters and the colony to control the poor Unified different races and economic classes Every effort was made to improve the image of those who governed Virginia Taxes were reduced Freeman were given back their rights The colonists were also appeased by the adoption of a more aggressive Indian policy The notion that Indians and whites could not live together peaceably was enforced, which led to the introduction of the Indian Reservation system in 1677