The 1670s: King Philip’s War and
Bacon’s Rebellion
Early American Social History
Term 1 Week 9
Introduction
• 1660-85 sees massive increase in Eng
settlement on east coast - Restoration
Colonies
• But also major threats to colonial society in
Chesapeake and New England - King
Philip’s War & Bacon’s Rebellion
• Theme – response to threats and challenges
Restoration Colonies
• 1663 – territory s. of
Virginia granted to eight
proprietors
• colony named Carolina
in honour of ChII
• popular with planters
from Barbados, where
land was limited.
• Capital Charles Town
est. 1670
The plantation
landscape in South
Carolina
New York
• New York first explored by
Hudson for Dutch East India
Company in 1609
• First settlers 1626
• 1664 English conquest
Pennsylvania & New Jersey
• Both prop. colonies
• NJ split between Dutch and
Swedes, taken by GB 1664
• William Penn granted colony to
repay a debt owed by Charles II to
Penn's father.
• Rapid growth of Philadelphia est
1681
• Good rels with local Indians.
‘Walking purchase’
Penn’s Holy Experiment
Charter of Privileges in 1701
Promotional Literature for
Pennsylvania
King Philip’s War 1
• Longer term decline of Indian – White
rels in NEng.
• Metacom – aka‘King Philip’, chief of
Wampanoags, son of Massasoit.
• Concerned about impact of Europeans
on traditional life
KPW 2
• War probably planned by KP, but
betrayed by Xtn Indian, John
Sassamon spring 1675.
• Sassamon murdered, 3
Wampanoag Indians tried and
executed for his murder – but real
suspicion directed vs KP
• Puritans mount pre-emptive strike
vs Wamp in June 1675 destroying
town of Mount Hope
• July/Aug increasing nos of Indian
attacks on white towns
KPW 3
• Wamp have better of initial skirmishes – success
leads to other tribes such as Nipmuc, Pocasset and
Pocomtuck joining in – general Indian war
• New England confederation formed Sept 9, 1675
• Indian victorious at Battle of Bloody Brook (Sept
18) and burn Springfield (Oct 5)
• United Eng force attacks Narragansett, wins Gt
Swamp Fight Dec 16, forces N into the war
• Renewed Indian attacks in early 1676, incl failed
assault on Plymouth and burning of Providence
Indian defeat
• But war drags on in to 1676, Indians unable to fight
war of attrition, lack supplies and planning.
• English able to re-group (retreat to fortified towns) and
re-supply, then gradually counter-attack – eventually
capture and kill KP (Aug 12, 1676)
Consequences of KPW
• Decimation of Indian tribes
• Cost
• Psychological
• White settlement restricted
Bacon’s Rebellion 1
• Governor Berkeley unable to enforce 1646
frontier with Susquehanna.
• 1675 conflict over debts owed by whites to
Indians. Slide to open warfare
• War
• Peace ?
Nathaniel Bacon
• new migrant
• Well connected
• Not accepted into polite
society
Bacon’s Rebellion 2
• NB lives on ‘southside’ where war is.
• Leads local people vs Indians ignored
Berkeley’s order to leave Indians alone.
• Berkeley declares Bacon a rebel, regular
Virginian militia was sent to stop him, but
Bacon defeated it and took & burned
Jamestown Sep 19
• Berkeley expelled, assembly called, (Bacon’s
Manifesto)
• Bacon dies of dysentery, Oct 26 - rebellion
quickly subsides.
Bacon’s Declaration, July 30, 1676
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1. For haveing upon specious pretences of publiqe works raised greate unjust taxes upon the
Comonality for the advancement of private favorites and other sinister ends, but noe visible
effects in any measure adequate, For not haveing dureing this long time of his Gouvernement
in any measure advanced this hopefull Colony either by fortificacons Townes or Trade.
2. For haveing abused and rendred contemptable the Magistrates of Justice, by advanceing
to places of Judicature, scandalous and Ignorant favorites.
3. For haveing wronged his Majesties prerogative and interest, by assumeing Monopoly of
the Beaver trade, and for haveing in that unjust gaine betrayed and sold his Majesties Country
and the lives of his loyall subjects, to the barbarous heathen.
4. For haveing, protected, favoured, and Imboldned the Indians against his Majesties loyall
subjects, never contriveing, requireing, or appointing any due or proper meanes of
sattisfaction for theire many Invasions, robbories, and murthers comitted upon us.
…
7. For haveing with onely the privacy of some few favorites, without acquainting the
people, onely by the alteracon of a figure, forged a Comission, by we know not what hand,
not onely without, but even against the consent of the people, for the raiseing and effecting
civill warr and distruction, which being happily and without blood shed prevented, for
haveing the second time attempted the same, thereby calling downe our forces from the
defence of the fronteeres and most weekely expoased places.
8. For the prevencon of civill mischeife and ruin amongst ourselves, whilst the barbarous
enimy in all places did invade, murther and spoyle us, his majesties most faithfull subjects.
Aftermath
•
English government sent to troops to quell
uprising, but Virginia at peace long before
they arrived.
• London authorities recalled Berkeley
• New governor implemented some reforms, but
also hit rebels hard
• The long term effect for Indians was that the
frontier was again pushed back.
Historiographic Explanations
• E. Morgan –American Slavery American
Freedom
• Bailyn, - Politics and Social Structure in
17thC
• Webb - 1676 the End of American
Indpendence
Conclusions
• The events of the 1670s threatened but ultimately
confirmed English control over the Native Americans.
• Va and NEng still developing and finding their feet –
events of 1670s show tensions between new and old
settlers, a new crisis of legitimacy, where the people who
ruled to be allowed to continue to rule?
• In Virginia these problems were sorted out in the 1670s,
for the rest of the colonies, another fifteen years were to
pass until their problems were to be addressed during the
Glorious Revolution.