Bacons Rebellion as a Turning Point in the American Ideas of Race

Table of Contents

Introduction
Bacons Rebellion
Indentured Servants and Slaves
Legacy of Bacons Rebellion
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The late 17th century was a pivotal period in American history, which marked the foundation of the institute of slavery. Bacons Rebellion of 16751676 united indentured servants and slaves against the Grandees and provoked a reaction from white elites that led to the establishment of laws separating the white and black colonists. Until the late 17^th century, the position of indentured servants and slaves was similar, and after Bacons Rebellion, blacks started to be associated with slavery and white people with freedom, which created the foundation for racism.

Bacons Rebellion

Bacons Rebellion was an armed uprising that took place in the English settlements in Virginia in 16751676. It was led by Nathanial Bacon, a wealthy and ambitious planter, against the colonial governor of Virginia William Berkeley. The main disagreements between Bacon and Berkeley were connected with the colonists policy towards the native Indian population. Bacon believed that [We must defend ourselves] against all Indians in general, for that they were all Enemies, while Berkeley was opposed to attacking friendly Indians, fearing that this might lead to war (Bacons Rebellion, n.d.). In 1675, Bacon demanded a petition from the governor to lead an expedition against the Native Americans, and when that was denied, he started a rebellion.

The uprising was joined by about a thousand Virginians. Bacons call for the removal of all Indians from the colony, a reduction of taxes, and an end to the rule of the Grandees gained support from all classes: small farmers, indentured servants, and slaves (Foner, 2019). It was the alliance between white European indentured servants and enslaved Africans that most profoundly disturbed the colonial upper classes. When the rebellion was suppressed, Virginias House of Burgesses enacted a series of laws known as the Virginia Slaves Codes of 1705 aimed to divide the two races to prevent future uprisings (Kendi, 2016). They defined people imported from nations that were not Christian as slaves, established new property rights for slave owners, allowed free trade of slaves, and apprehension of suspected runaways (Kendi, 2016). The Codes served as a foundation of slave legislation, separating white colonists from the black population and embedding the idea of slavery into law.

Indentured Servants and Slaves

Until the end of the 17^th century, as the institute of slavery was gradually formed, the position of indentured servants and slaves was very similar. Historically, most of the work on Virginia plantations was performed by indentured servants. They were primarily Europeans who signed a contract by which they agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for transportation to Virginia, food, clothing, and shelter (Indentured servants in colonial Virginia, n.d.). Their rights, although limited, were regulated by the General Assembly. Initially, the Africans imported to the colonies were also legally deemed to be indentured servants, until in 1661, the first law was passed that allowed any free person to own slaves (Indentured servants in colonial Virginia, n.d.). Since then, the Africans started to lose their rights and began to replace white indentured servants as workers on Virginia plantations (Indentured servants in colonial Virginia, n.d.). By the end of the 17^th century, the colonys labor needs were largely met by enslaved Africans, who created a more stable and manageable workforce.

At the time of Bacons rebellion, slaves and indentured servants had very similar rights. Although indentured servants were not technically slaves and were granted freedom when their indenture expired, they occupied the lowest rung on the social ladder, almost entirely depending on their masters (Indentured servants in colonial Virginia, n.d.). Historian Edmund S. Morgan wrote that Servitude in Virginias tobacco fields approached closer to slavery than anything known at the time in England (qtd. in Indentured Servants in Colonial Virginia, n.d.). Many servants were discontent with their position and fled from abusive masters, often together with black slaves.

Legacy of Bacons Rebellion

Bacons Rebellion was, in part, a result of discontent among white servants, who united with blacks in pursuit of common interests. The alliance between slaves and indentured servants frightened the white elites and encouraged them to take steps to prevent similar joint uprisings in the future. When the rebellion was crushed, white elites decided to harness the discontent of white servants by pointing it in the direction of enslaved Americans and creating a strong separation between black and white workers. The idea of slavery was embedded into law, and white people started to be associated with freedom and black people with slavery, which became the foundation of racism.

Conclusion

Bacons Rebellion was a turning point in American history which triggered a series of events that led to the development of racism. Before the end of the 17^th century, the differences between indentured servants and slaves were little, and race was not perceived as a dividing factor. The introduction of the Virginia Slave Codes of 1705 created a separation between the two groups of workers. Together with the increase in the number of slaves and the gradual replacement of indentured servants with enslaved Africans, they started to be perceived as the inferior class, which shaped the American idea of racial inequality for the next several centuries.