1. What might lead poor farmers to revolt against their colonial government?

2. The Planters and the Poor

3. Southern Society
The plantation system created a society with distinct social classes
Plantation owners were influential politically and economically
Most landowners in the South were small farmers who lived in the “backcountry”

5. Southern Society
Backcountry or yeoman farmers practiced subsistence farming
By the late 1600s, the South was a sharply divided society
At the top were the wealthy elite and at the bottom were the yeoman farmers

7. Bacon’s Rebellion
Along Virginia’s western frontier settlers and Natives are fighting
Price of tobacco has sharply declined
Yeoman want changes
Protection from Natives
Vote for all free men
Remove tax exemptions for certain people

8. Nathaniel Bacon
Represents small back-country farmers (yeoman)
Pushes Virginia’s Governor William Berkeley for reforms

9. Bacon’s Rebellion
Bacon allowed to attack natives, but Berkeley turns on him
Bacon attacks and burns Jamestown
Bacon’s death weakens rebels
Gov. Berkeley returns to fight with his own army
Captures and executes rebels

12. Results of the Rebellion
Rebellion demonstrated
Frontier Settlers and poorer colonists would not support a government that only supported the wealthy
Virginia pushes settlement West to keep yeoman happy

13. Results of the Rebellion
Planters lean even more toward slavery
Slaves are not freed, so do not need their own land
Easier to control
Also, with new lands opening up, fewer people want to be Indentured

14. The End