Essay revised

The African Slave Trade was not a very good thing, but not many people were against it. If someone was, they were considered an extremist and were not necessarily listened to. Then Nathaniel Bacon came along in 1676 with his "new" ideas and ruined everything. His "rebellion" failed, and the failure of Bacon's "rebellion" was an accelerant to the slave trade.

After the “rebellion” failed, the Virginian colony was all shaken up. People were scared of another “rebellion” and wanted to prevent another one. To prevent another “rebellion” they tightened up the rules and reformatted the system that they had been running in the colony. The first thing to be changed after the "rebellion" was the caste system in the colony. Bacon had made a set of laws called “Bacon’s Laws” (not surprisingly) which gave the people back what had been taken and reenacted the rights that they had lost. But when Bacon died of swamp fever the “rebellion” lost steam and puttered out. Thirty-three of Bacons supporters were hung and the loved “Bacon’s Laws” were repealed and Berkeley took over again.

While Berkeley was in charge the Virginian government decided to change the caste system. Of course they stayed on top and put those that were a threat to the colony on the bottom of said caste system. The people that would want to rebel the most were the Native Americans and the African Slaves. Because the slaves were looked upon lower than the Indians, they were put lower than the Indians. In a caste system the lowest caste is most often the ones that are slaves, therefore making Bacon’s “rebellion” the reason the slave trade was accelerated.

Bacon’s “rebellion” possibly would of ended slavery in the colony, but could not possibly get rid of discrimination. Discrimination is something inside of a person, something only they can get rid of. But since the “rebellion” failed I believe that it created more discrimination by making people fear another “rebellion”. After said “rebellion” the Virginian legislature changed the caste system, basically banning all people of color to slavery. If all people of color are enslaved it breaks their spirit and lowers the chances of a “rebellion”. The Virginian legislature banned interracial marriages, or any other sexual relationship. They pretty much looked down on them and deemed them unfit for procreation. And because of the “rebellion” people had an underlying fear of people with color, or those associated with the “rebellion”, they unwittingly discriminated against them, making the “rebellion” an accelerant to slavery.

In the fear that was created by the “rebellion”, people were afraid of the lower classes “taking over” and “ruining the economy”. They wanted to do everything they could to prevent people from rebelling and taking over the colony. Bacon’s “rebellion” was the main cause of this fear because the fact that it failed. Who knows maybe if he didn’t get into a swamp and die the “rebellion” may have turned out differently and slavery would have been abolished in the colonies. But he did and it didn’t. But what it did cause was slaves to become more accepted and the slaves’ lives more miserable.

Bacon could have just been quiet. He could have accepted the way things were done and lived his life. But no; he had a dream. He wanted to free his people and live in a happier would. But his dream had risks. If he failed it would cause irreparable consequences, damaging all that he worked at. But he had to get into that swamp and die, leaving his legacy behind, a legacy of hurting more and more slaves leaving them to be mistreated and leaderless. Thus is why his “rebellion” never should have happened and he accelerated the slave trade.

sources-
a. "Slavery and the British Empire" Morgan, Kenneth pgs 138-139
http://books.google.com/books?id=SGcwgJz5rQMC&pg=PA137&dq=bacon%27s+rebellion+how+it+affected+slavery#PPA138,M1
b. "Redress for Historical Injustices in the United States" Martin, Michael T and Yaquinto, Marilyn pgs 36-37
http://books.google.com/books?id=rjmJv389P_sC&pg=PA36&dq=bacon%27s+rebellion+how+it+affected+slavery
c. "Charles Willson Peale" Ward, David C and Peale, Charles Willson pg 6
http://books.google.com/books?id=mO4P35Kojs0C&pg=PA6&dq=bacon%27s+rebellion+how+it+affected+slavery&lr=#PPA6,M1