Nathaniel Bacon vs. William Berkeley
...ems caused by the weather encouraged the colonists to find a scapegoat. They used Native Indians to vent their frustrations and place blame for their misfortunes. It all began when the Doeg Indians raided a plantation. When the colonist retaliated they killed the wrong Indians, the Susquehanaugs, which resulted in larger Indian raids. Governor Berkeley ordered an investigation into the attack to bring the situation under control. Berkeley pleaded for the colonist to restrain from any more attacks against the Indians. Bacon refused to comply. Berkeley’s policy was to preserve the friendship and loyalty of the Indians while assuring the settlers that they were not hostile. To show good faith Berkeley took the ammunition and powder away from the Indians. Then he called a Long Assembly in March 1676. The Assembly declared war on all bad Indians. A commission was established to monitor the trading and to make sur the Indians were not getting any arms and ammunition. Bacon accused Berkeley of playing favorites, because Berkeley had denied him a commission as a leader in the local militia. To avoid further conflict, Berkeley was willing to forget that Bacon was not authorized to take the law into his own hands. He would pardon Bacon if he would return to England and be tried before King Charles II. The House of Burgesses insisted that Bacon acknowledge what he did and beg for Berkeley’s forgiveness. Meanwhile, Bacon was elected to the Burgesses by local land owners who were both supportive and sympathetic to his Indian campaigns. Feeling that it would make his triumph complete, Bacon issued his “Declaration of the People” on July 30, 1676. His declaration stated that Berkeley was corrupt, playing favorites and protecting the Indians for his own personal selfish purposes....