Virginia
1676
"Headright" System
This year we employed the "headright" system. Under this system anyone who pays the passage of a laborer will acquire the rights to fifty acres of land. This has proved to be very beneficial. Indentured servants have proved to be a great work source. They work hard to achieve the goal of gaining freedom. After a recent count of the people, we have discovered that our Indentured servants make up a great number of the population. In the Chesapeake region, they make up more than three quarters of all European immigrants.
Nathaniel Bacon
Leader of Bacon's Rebellion
Indentured Servants
The headright system increased the number of indentured servants that worked on plantations.
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon in disagreement with William Berkeley's policies.
Bacon's Rebellion
This year the colony of Virginia encountered a rebellion. Almost a thousand Virginians got out of control at this time. They were lead by Nathaniel Bacon, a 29 year old planter. We have discovered that many of the rebels were frontiersmen who were forced to search for arable land in the untamed backcountry. They were in disagreement with William Berkeley's friendly policies toward the Indians. They fought the Indians (the friendly and the hostile). They also torched the capital. This created chaos throughout the land. This tragic event finally came to an end when Bacon suddenly died of disease.
Bacon's Rebellion
Changes Ahead
After the rebellion was over this year, things did not completely return to normal. The rebellion was suppressed, however, there are many tensions that remain in the colony. Great fear and excitement was ignited and still runs throughout the colony. Our king in England, Charles II, complained about this causing so many deaths and complications. Due to this the we, the colony of Virginia, will be looking for another source of labor to tend to the plantations. We have our eyes set of Africa.