1. American Life in 17th Century
Southern Society

2. Frustration in the Virginia Country
Challenge to Virginia Authority 1676
Planters in the countryside disliked Jamestown officials
Royal Governor, Sir William Berkeley and the Green Spring Faction
Ruled Virginia for 30 years.

3. Frustration in the Virginia Country
Green Springers viewed the western planters as “crude and vulgar lot”
The western planters asked Berkeley to authorize expedition against the Indians to take their land
He refused

4. Bacon’s Rebellion
Bacon raised an army of 500 and led an attack against the Indians
Declared a traitor by Berkeley
Bacon killed peaceful Indians and forced Berkeley to legitimize his authority
Headed West and killed more Indians
In September Bacon burned
Jamestown to the ground and
plundered plantations

5. Outcome of Bacon’s Rebellion
On the surface, the uprising changed nothing
BUT, nothing was ever the same again
The common interests of all was found…Both wanted cheap labor
In the quarter-century following Bacon’s Rebellion the Chesapeake region thus became committed to black slavery

6. Outcome of Bacon’s Rebellion
Bacon’s Rebellion sealed an implicit contract between the inhabitants of the “great houses” and those who lived in more modest lodgings: Southern whites might differ greatly in wealth and influence, but they stood as one and forever behind the principle that blacks must have neither

7. Slavery
By 1680, black slaves outnumbered white servants among the plantation colonies’ new arrivals
By 1750, Blacks accounted for nearly ½ of Virginian population
Some of the earliest Black slaves gained their freedom and some became slaveholders themselves.

8. Africans in America
Slave life was VERY tough. Rice growing was much harder than tobacco growing
A few slaves became skilled artisans, but most were relegated to sweaty work
Did revolts occur? Of course they did!

9. Southern Society Social gaps
Virginia “clans” dominated government and owned most of the land; the first families of Virginia
Drinking a huge problem in Virginia
Farmers made up the largest group
Few cities and few schools and churches

10. Southern Society
Women had more power. Southern women tended to have more power
In the South men had absolute rule over their wives, but… they died young and women inherited the money and could live independent lives if they wanted.

11. American Life in the 17th Century
Northern Society

12. The New England Area
Women married in Early 20s and had children every 2 years until menopause
Average woman raised 8 children and gave birth to about 10
Many women died in childbirth
Men didn’t have absolute power over their wives, but they did have lots of power.
Women didn’t inherit the money!

13. Half-Way Covenant
Puritans began to worry about the way their children were growing up
Preachers began to scold parishioners
In 1662 a new “formula” for church membership was announced
Jeremiads (strong sermons) continued
Anyone could come even if they were not converts