In the human society, misunderstandings are bound to happen from any time. Some wars have led to severe catastrophes that have impacted hugely on the society. In the past centuries, wars have occurred as a result of various issues that have made people turn on each other. The American culture has not been an exception in the wars that have taken place in the world over the past centuries. The American society has experienced numerous wars that have threatened the peace of the nation and had serious repercussions on the economic, social and political life of the country. One of the wars that had a significant impact on the American society was the Bacon Revolution. Extensive analyses of the cause of the war, as well as some of the issues that are related to it, are looked at in detail in this paper.
Introduction to Bacon’s Revolt
Bacon’s Revolution is one of the wars that have impacted heavily on the American society. It was a bitter civil war that engulfed Virginia, which was an English colony. The war broke out in 1676 when the United States was still an English colony (Rice, 2014). Indeed, the impact that the war had on the American society made it a significant event in the nation’s history. After the American Revolution, the Bacon’s Revolution was regarded as one the most important steps in the rise towards a more democratic space in the United States. However, at the height of the war, the colonialist regarded it as an act of treason. Some historians have gone ahead and treated the war as a law of Anglo Virginia’s social and political science. Some historians such as James D. Rice firmly believe that the war can be better understood from the perspective of Native Americans (Rice, 2014). They argue that the latter were at the center stage in the revolution and played a critical role in America's acquisition of democracy. The rebellion was an intriguing part of the nation’s history. The war was fought from 1676 to 1677 (Honeycutt, 2015) . It was triggered by a dispute with the Indians on the Potomac River. The Indians began by raiding the Virginia border after they had been chased by the Virginia middlemen northwards. The governor at that time, Sir William Berkeley devised a plan to isolate the Susquehannocks by persuading the General Assembly. He aimed to make the Indians allies of Virginia. Another leader who took place in the war was Nathaniel Bacon. He was Sir Berkeley's rival and was a member of the governor’s council. The war resulted to the governor being chased away from Jamestown by troops who were loyal to Bacon. The latter died suddenly soon after the war.
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Effect of Colonial America on Bacon’s Revolution
Colonial America played a significant role in the rise of the Bacon’s Revolution. Colonial forces played a role in the revolution since, at that particular time, much of the United States was controlled by the Britons. Colonial America had various characteristics that played a significant role in fueling the war. The economic atmosphere of the United States at that time was unhealthy and unconducive for most Americans. Firstly, there was increasing competition from Carolinas and Maryland. It was further worsened by a sharp decline in the prices of tobacco. Additionally, there was a rise in the prices of goods that were manufactured by the British. Furthermore, the Bisons had lost adversely in the naval wars with the Dutch. The poor weather further exacerbated the problem bedeviling the colony that they were experiencing. The colonialists were profoundly affected by uneventful weather such as storms, hurricanes, floods, and hailstorms. These misfortunes were the ones that encouraged the colonialist to look for a scapegoat whom they could vent out their frustrations. They decided to use the local red Indians as their scapegoat.
Impact of American Ideals on the Bacon’s Rebellion
In every war, the ideologies that are held by the people of that locality where the fight is happening has a significant impact on the war. During the Bacon’s rebellion, the American ideologies at that time played a major role in the manner in which the war took place and the outcome that it had. For instance, one of the ideologies that were deeply entrenched at that time was imperialism. Spain and Portugal were the two nations that had controlled a majority of South America. However, a significant part of the United States of America was mainly unclaimed. During that particular time, England wanted to establish its empire. They wanted to have a control of a majority of the unclaimed states so that they could consolidate their authority and influence in many parts of the world. England was experiencing a population outburst, and they were looking for a place to resettle their surplus population. They were assured that they could get new land, trading opportunities as well as have religious freedom by acquiring more colonies. Some Americans had adopted ideas of inequality and favoritism and consequently favored their people. For example, governor Berkeley supported other people and made decisions that were unacceptable to others, thereby triggering a revolution (Mancall, 2012). The ideals that were adopted by the Americans at that time have affected the manner in which people live in the modern world. It can be seen in the way in which vices such as favoritism have been entrenched in the society. The direct impact of this is that it has led to divisions and feelings of mistrust among various groups in the society.
Active and adverse effects of the War
The manner in which the war took place elicits different reactions. It cannot be said that the war did not have any positive effects. Indeed, the American society had benefited from the Bacon’s Revolution. The populace realized that they did not need to practice divisive tendencies such as favoritism. After the war, such harmful practices reduced tremendously, and the people lived as one. On the other hand, the war was costly to the American society. The adverse effects of the war led to the economic slowdown and massive loss of lives.
From the preceding, it can be concluded that wars are an inevitable factor in the process of coexistence of human beings. As long as people who have different opinions and ideologies live together, misunderstandings are bound to happen. However, it is important if the warring parties come to a peaceful agreement so that they can live together in peace and harmony. The American society learned a lot from the Bacon’s Revolution; lessons that will form a significant part of every American for a long time to come.
References
Honeycutt, R. (2015). Bacon's Rebellion. National Park Service , 45-56.
Rice, J. D. (2014). Bacon's Rebellion in Indian Country. Journal of American History, 109-117.
Mancall, P. (2012). The Atlantic World and Virginia. Omohundro Foundation of Early American Past&PhilosophyStaff College of North Carolina Press , 1550-1624.
