Rebellion in Colonial America
Objective: To learn about the influence of rebellion
in the colonies to better understand the actions of
the Founding Fathers in writing the Declaration of
Independence.
Before the Declaration of
Independence
 Rebellions
 Bacon’s Rebellion, 1676
Bacon’s Declaration
 What brought all of these people together?
 Bacon’s Declaration, July 1676
 Read Bacon’s Declaration with a partner. Summarize the 8 sections in the
Declaration, and what will happen if the demands are not met.
 Vocabulary to help you with the reading:
 Magistrate: a civil officer charged with the administration of the law, such
as a minor judicial officer (Justice of the Peace) or the judge of a police
court.
 Countermanded: to revoke or cancel.
 Confederacy: an alliance between persons, parties, states, etc., for some
purpose.
 Pernicious councilors: Harmful council members
Causes for the Rebellion
 Indians
 The aristocracy
 Map: “America septentrionalis” by Hondius,1640.
What does Bacon’s Rebellion tell us
about Colonial America?
 The people involved
 Indentured Servants
 Example of a contract:
“I, ___ ,of ___, do firmly oblige myself as a faithful and obedient servant in all things
whatsoever, to serve and dwell with ___ according to the laws and customs and
orders for servants in Carolina.”
“The said ___ providing for his servant all such necessaries in the time of his/her
service and at the expiration of the term as the laws oblige masters to perform to their
servants.”
What does Bacon’s Rebellion tell us
about Colonial America?
 Slaves
 Indians
Separation of the people
 Racism and class
 Development of the middle class
1776
 “Around 1776, certain important people in the English
colonies made a discovery that would prove enormously
useful for the next two hundred years. They found that by
creating a nation, a symbol, a legal unity called the United
States, they could take over land, profits, and political power
from favorites of the British Empire. In that process, they
could hold back a number of potential rebellions and create a
consensus of popular support for the rule of a new, privileged
leadership.”
 Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States
Thomas Paine & Common Sense
 Released January 10, 1776.
 The Revolutionary War
began in April of 1775.
Why rebel?
 With your partner, skim through Chapter 6 of your textbook
and answer the following question:
 What British policies and events made the colonists become fed
up with British rule?
 Then read the excerpts from Common Sense by Thomas Paine.
Answer the corresponding questions in the packet.
 Vocabulary to help you with the reading:
 Reconciliation: to become friendly with again after a split.
 Sycophant: a person who uses flattery to win favor from
individuals wielding influence
Exit Ticket
 Answer on a separate sheet of paper:
 Compare your notes in your note catcher to your partner’s.
Did he/she get certain things that you missed? What do you
need to work on as a note-taker in order to succeed in a lecture
environment? Is there anything I can do as your teacher to help
you with your notetaking?
Homework
 Look at the revisions made on the original Declaration of
Independence by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams.