Bacon’s Rebellion and The French and Indian War

Bacon’s Rebellion

• Some colonists had settled outside of Jamestown on the frontier.

• frontier – the edge of a settled territory.

• These colonists suffered constant attacks from the Indians and believed that the colonial government did not protect them enough!

Bacon’s Rebellion

• These colonists believed that the governor favored the Indians because he traded with them.

• The governor told the colonists not to attack the Indians.

• One man named Nathaniel Bacon was tired of the Indian attacks. He led a group of angry colonists in an attack against the Indians on the frontier.

Bacon’s Rebellion

• After defeating the Indians, Bacon and his men attacked the governor and his men at Jamestown.

• Bacon and his men burned much of Jamestown to the ground!

• Bacon died suddenly, and the governor ended the rebellion!

• When the King heard about the problems in Virginia, he was unhappy. He sent a new governor to take charge.

The Most Important Colony

• By the mid-1700s, Great Britain had established thirteen (13) colonies in North America.

• Virginia was important in many ways.– It had been the 1st permanent colony.– It was the largest and most populated colony.– It was the richest colony.

The Most Important Colony

• What Virginians thought and did was important to Great Britain and to the other colonies.

The French and Indian War

• Great Britain and France were in competition with each other to be the greatest power in the New World.

• Each country was ready to go to war to get control of the land in the New World.

• The American Indians also wanted the land since this was their home before either France or Great Britain had settlers here.

The French and Indian War

• The Indians helped the French because they liked trading furs with them and the Indians believed that the French did not want to steal their land from them!

• It was the French and the Indians against Great Britain and the colonists.

• Great Britain used its army and men from the thirteen (13) colonies to fight the French and Indians.

The French and Indian War

• One of these men was George Washington. He was a young officer in the Virginia militia.

• The colonists called this war the French and Indian War because they were fighting both the French and the Indians.

Important Results of the War

• After years of fighting, Great Britain and the colonists won the war!

• Great Britain gained control of all the land east of the Mississippi River except for the city of New Orleans.

• American men (colonists) had learned how to be soldiers.

Important Results of the War

• Men like George Washington had learned how to command troops. By fighting along side of the British, George Washington was able to see the weaknesses of the British army.

• The colonists had also held meetings and learned how to work together.

Important Results of the War

• All of these things helped them win the war.

• They were very important for what was about to happen – The American Revolution!