Bacon's Rebellion Outline/Thesis 5

Background Information:
I. What was Bacon’s Rebellion?
A. Bacon’s Rebellion was a revolt against the Virginian government and Native Americans.
1. “Bacon’s Rebellion was the result of discontent among back-country farmers against corruption in the government.” (October 2, 2008, wikipedia.com)
a. Nathaniel Bacon led the revolt.
b. Poor settlers, former indentured servants, and slaves helped Bacon in his attack.
c. The revolt was against the government as well as their governor, William Berkeley.
d. Bacon hated Native Americans.
i. “Bacon…probably care more about fighting Indians than about helping the poor.” (Howard Zinn, pg. 37)
e. The rebellion happened in 1776.
II. Colonists mistreated Native Americans before Bacon’s Rebellion.
A. Colonists took advantage of native lands.
1. “living on assigned lands at the will and direction of the provincial governments” (Michael J. Puglisi, pg. 76)
a. Colonial governments told Native Americans where to live.
B. Colonial government used Native Americans.
1. “Praying Indians…had served as spies, scouts, and soldiers.” (Michael J. Puglisi, pg. 82)
a. Some Native Americans forced to work for the colonists.
2. “The…peace treaty between the colony and natives…stripped the Powhatans of their independence…lands…freedom of movement.” (Michael J. Puglisi, pg. 76)
a. Peace treaties between Native Americans and colonists were often made then broken by colonists once they got what they wanted.
3. "Berkeley's policy was to preserve the friendship of tributary Indians" (The Governor and the Rebel: A History of Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia, pg. 122)
a. Berkeley wanted peace with Native Americans so that it wouldn’t affect trade with them. This was the only reason he wouldn’t allow commissions for attacks against them.
C. Colonists were prejudiced against and didn’t trust Native Americans.
1. “Nathaniel Bacon disregarded the Governor's direct orders by seizing some friendly Appomattox Indians for "allegedly" stealing corn.” (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/bacon.htm)
a. Colonists didn’t trust native tribes, even the ones they were on good terms with.
2. "in a dispute over the nonpayment of some items...[it led to] a retaliatory strike by the colonists, they attacked the wrong Indians" (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/bacon.htm)
a. Colonists attacked Native Americans if they didn’t like how they acted.
III. Colonists mistreated Native Americans during Bacon’s Rebellion.
A. Bacon’s Rebellion led to attacks and raids on Native Americans.
1. “Nathaniel Bacon…arose to lead an extra-legal band of over 500 men, without commission” (Michael J. Puglisi, pg. 77)
a. Bacon and his forces attacked tribes in the area without permission from the government.
2. “the natives suffered heavy losses, including their chief” (Michael J. Puglisi, pg. 77)
a. Colonists slaughtered many men, women, and children.
3. “The English shot as many as they could…Col. Mason…ran amongst his Men, Crying out, ‘For the Lords sake Shoot no more, these are our friends the Susque-hanoughs.”(Document #3, Thomas Mathews, The Beginning, Progress, and Conclusion of Bacon’s Rebellion, 1675-1676)
a. Colonists attacked tribes they got along with and who never harmed colonists.
Thesis/Hypothesis:
I. While some people think that Native Americans deserved what happened to them, Native Americans suffered at Virginian colonists’ hands after Bacon’s Rebellion.
Body:
I. Colonists mistreated Native Americans after Bacon’s Rebellion.
A. The Virginian government used native lands for their own purposes.
1. “The Indians were sent to assigned towns, placed under the supervision of militia officers or selectmen…” (Michael J. Puglisi, pg. 83)
a. Native Americans were placed in towns and settlements, by colonial governments, which separated them from the colonists. The government claimed was for “security” but it did no good at all.
2. "some military leaders suggested fortifying the Praying Towns 'as a wall of defence' for the colony...that...strategy would have protected more populous towns from attack" (Michael J. Puglisi, pg. 79)
a. Towns were natives were living were used by colonies as a defense blockage in case they were attacked.
3. “torn from their livelihoods and left with no means to provide for themselves” (Michael J. Puglisi, pg. 81)
a. Native Americans were forced to live on islands in Boston Harbor and almost starved.
B. After Bacon’s Rebellion, colonists became more controlling over Native Americans.
1. “Tottopottomoy’s widow…was…pressed on the issue of supplying men to support the militia” (Michael J. Puglisi, pg. 78)
a. Colonists forced tribes to provide them with warriors for their militia. Some of the tribes that were being asked had suffered heavy losses from Bacon’s Rebellion.
2. “‘for their own & country’s security.’ the Praying Indians should be moved to islands in Boston Harbor” (Michael J. Puglisi, pg. 80)
a. Natives were forced to live elsewhere by colonists.
C. Attacks on Native Americans became more harsh and frequent after Bacon’s Rebellion.
1. “a series of unfounded indictments against Praying Indians by their white neighbors”
a. Colonists accused and tried natives of crimes that they didn’t commit.
2. “colonists added racist words of attack to the weapons of war” (Michael J. Puglisi, pg. 79)
a. Colonists attacked Native Americans both physically and verbally using racists attacks against them.
3. "Governor Berkeley's policy...encouraging the Indians to terrorize the frontier." (http://www.jstor.org/stable/2191476)
a. Native Americans suffered for acts that were committed in the past and were forced upon them.
Discussion:
I. Are the sources used credible?
A. My sources are credible.
B. Some of my sources were from a reliable database.
C. My other sources were from the Internet.
D. Other sources I used were my history textbook and handouts I received.
II. What are the effects of how Native Americans were treated after Bacon’s Rebellion?
A. Native Americans continued to be humble even though they were treated badly.
III. What were the consequences of how Native Americans were treated after Bacon’s Rebellion?
A. Some native tribes continued to attack colonists.
B. Native Americans were no longer as trustworthy of colonists.
Works Cited or References:
1. Bacon's Rebellion. Wikipedia.com, October 2, 2008
2. Howard Zinn. “Who Were the Colonists?.” A Young People’s History of the
United States Columbus to the Spanish-American War Vol 1: pg. 37
3. Michael J. Puglisi. ““Whether They Be Friends or Foes:” The Roles and Reactions of
Tributary Native Groups Caught in Colonial Conflicts
4. Title: Review: [untitled]
Author(s): Susie M. Ames
Reviewed Title(s): The Governor and the Rebel: A History of Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia
Reviewed Authors(s): Wilcomb E. WashburnSource: The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, Vol. 45, No. 1 (Jun., 1958), pp. 122-123
Publisher(s): Organization of American Historians
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1886705
5. Bacon's Rebellion. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/bacon.htm, October 15, 2008
6. Title: Review: [untitled]
Author(s): Lester J. Cappon
Reviewed Title(s): Torchbearer of the Revolution: The Story of Bacon's Rebellion and Its Leader.
Reviewed Authors(s): Thomas Jefferson Wertenbaker
Source: The Journal of Southern History, Vol. 7, No. 2 (May, 1941), pp. 245-246
Publisher(s): Southern Historical Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2191476