Hello and welcome to a history of the United States.

Episode 16, Bacon begins. Remember that this is a listener-supported podcast.

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more fun? Special thanks to our newest pioneer, listener Jack. Thanks, I couldn't do this show without

you. Last time out, the frontiersmen grew sick of Berkeley and incompetence, which is really quite startling when you think about the reaction to his arrival in the 1640s.

You either die your hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain, I guess.

The frontiersman gathered under the leadership of Nathaniel Bacon, invaded Jamestown,

overthrew the government, and installed Nathaniel as General Bacon, with a commission to attack

the Native Americans. General Bacon had a few political goals before he left, such as banning

some of Berkeley's favourites from

office, and demanding that the letters Berkeley had sent back to London with his wife, which

called Bacon a rebel and asked for military aid, be contradicted, and to punish the captain

who had shot at his ship during his arrest. These were hastily agreed to.

Berkeley wanted no part of this, but he adopted a frankly Yossarian-esque attitude,

that he couldn't do the king any good if he was dead. So he might as well acquiesce to Bacon's

demands and live.

With this agreed, war was declared, quote, against the barbarous Indians, end quote.

This would not be Berkeley's expansion of the plantations.

All trade was stopped, and the war would be financed by selling captured slaves and land to the gentry who had sided with Berkeley in an attempt to get them on side.

There was also administrative reform, as the county sheriffs were limited to a single year in office, and the tax system was fixed, so that tobacco would be collected at market value.

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