Tales from a Revolution by James D. Rice

I considered myself pretty knowledgeable about the colonial period of our nation.  Please explain to me how I had never heard of Bacon's Rebellion until this book appeared on the same AP History reading list as 1491?

I have a theory.  Bacon's Rebellion occurred in Virginia.

Is the Boston Tea Party given as much time in Virginia as it is in Connecticut's classrooms?  I would bet not.

Simply, we, as teachers, are inherently biased based on our geography.  I know a lot more about West Haven history than I do about Milford's.  And apparently there are some pretty big gaps in what I know about this era outside of the Northeast.

Previous accounts of Bacon's Rebellion are widely biased towards one of the players (more on them below).  I felt the author was attempting to be neutral, while basing the narrative on the skewed primary sources available for research.

Nathaniel Bacon grew up, for lack of a better term, a spoiled brat.  His father, tired of funding an education being wasted by his son, arranged for passage to the American colonies, where there was family in Virginia.  His wife, whose father disowned her for marrying Bacon, came later.  Like other English settlements, there were significant problems facing the colonists in coastal Virginia.  High taxes from the crown and local government and Indian raids topped the list.  Virginia's governor had made deals with certain tribes and waged war on others.  White indentured servants, captured Indian slaves, and African slaves worked the land, primarily tobacco.  After his land was attacked, Bacon demanded Governor Berkeley allow for the slaughter of all Indians, regardless of previous treaties.  When he refused to protect the frontier planters (meaning agree to Bacon's demands), Bacon gathered men to revolt.  It was a dual rebellion--against the current local government and against the native peoples.  Bacon was ruthless by all accounts.  By those who disparage him, he was downright deranged.  Despite his early death in the game, the rebellion continues to be called "Bacon's".

Rice uses direct quotes from primary sources such as letters and court records in the language of the time.  It's a lot like Shakespeare, so it's not easy lay in the sun reading.

We'll be adding this to our collection for our AP U.S. History students, but also for those who want to learn about the colonial period outside our little corner of the country.

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All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.