Bacon's Rebellion was the result of the growing animosity between Nathaniel Bacon and Sir William Berkeley royal governor of Virginia. Berkeley was a English Civil War veteran, Indian fighter, and a friend of the English crown. Nathaniel Bacon Jr. was Berkeley's cousin by marriage. Bacon was sent to Virginia by his father for being a troublemaker and thought his time in the New World would set him straight. When he arrived in Jamestown, Berkeley warmly welcomed him and gave him both land and a spot in the House of Burgesses.
At the time of Bacon's arrival, there were various growing economic issues that Virginia faced: declining tobacco prices, competition from Maryland and the Carolinas, trade restrictions brought on the British' mercantilism economic policy, and year round bad weather. The colonists found a scapegoat for all of the problems in the nearby Native American populations. In 1675, the colonists and the Indians exchanged blows when the colonists pillaged villages and the Indians engaged in raids on villages. After such events, Berkeley, under the obligation of keeping peace, called for a meetings of the nearby Indian leaders to negotiate. This meeting brought disaster, as many Indians, including chiefs, were killed, and hatred towards Indians grew. Bacon then took on the vigilante duty of attacking Indians on accusation of stealing from colonists. Berkeley, still trying to keep peace, called for the Long Assembly of 1676. The Assembly declared war on all "bad" Indians. This war led to high taxes to finance it, leading to colonial discontent. The Assembly also set regulations for trade with the Indians, regulations that obviously favored traders that were close to Berkeley. Bacon was a trader that was unfavored by these regulations. At the same time, Berkeley denied a request made by Bacon to be commissioned as a militia leader against the Indians. Bacon then called Berkeley out on being a corrupt aristocrat, thus gaining public favor as a man of the people.
With Bacon's popularity, he was elected general by a group of armed volunteers who wanted to fight the Indians. Bacon led the volunteers against the nearby Pamunkeys and drove them away. Determined to resolve the chaos that was ensuing, Berkeley journeyed to Bacon's compound with 300 armed men. Bacon's 200 men fled the compound before they arrived. Berkeley then made two petitions: declaring Bacon an armed rebel, and offering him and his men amnesty if they quit their war and turned themselves in. Bacon refused and continued to attack and steal from Indians.
Bacon's popularity led to him being elected to the House of Burgesses in mid 1676. When the meeting convened, much social reform was passed, but despite beliefs that Bacon spearheaded these reforms, he took no part. Bacon was captured upon arrival, but let go by Berkeley in order to participate in the assembly. All he talked about was the Indian problem, leading to a heated debate about what should be done. He once again demanded his commission as a militia leader, which was again refused. Out of anger, Bacon stormed out of the state house and returned with his militia, surrounding it. Threatening to kill the assembly members, Bacon demanded to be made head general in the Indian wars and for there to be no government interference in his affairs. Berkeley reluctantly agreed and lost almost all of his power, submitting to Bacon and then leaving Jamestown.
With Bacon uncontested, he did whatever he saw fit to fight the Indians. He confiscated supplies from towns to supplement his army, leaving them vulnerable to attack. He virtually dominated Virginia from July to September. Berkeley did attempt to stage a coup, but failed and fled to the eastern shore with many other nobles. On July 30, Bacon issued The Declaration of the People, stating his mission and requiring an oath of loyalty for the people to take. Eventually, Berkeley mustered his strength and resources and mounted another attempt to retake Jamestown. He besieged Jamestown in October. Bacon, out of fear of defeat, burned Jamestown to the ground and fled. Shortly after, literally right after the burning of Jamestown, Bacon died of body lice. Berkeley retook control of Virginia and ordered the remaining leaders of the rebellion to death and the seizing of Rebel property.
Historians used to believe that Bacon's Rebellion was a precursor to the American Revolution, that it was about the underdog fighting an oppressive aristocracy. This was far from true. Instead, it was an unusual and confusing power struggle between a corrupt aristocrat and a crazy militant with a violent hatred of Native Americans. Despite exaggerations, the rebellion did point out the social inequality, the unfair privileges of those who knew people, and the gap between the rich and the poor. Bacon did indeed point out this inequality, but for the most part, he was also selfish and hungry for power and craved an uncontested warpath on the natives.