Slavery In Colonial Virginia

Virginia: Colony Report “He that will not work shall not eat.” (Captain John Smith). Virginia was the beginning of colonization in America. In 1578, after colonists in England were driven to find new land, Sir Humphrey Gilbert received a charter to establish a new British Colony. On May 13th, 1607, the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery ships arrived at what soon became the Jamestown peninsula. This discovery led to a series of important events that made the United States. After the Virginia Company of London was chartered to collect profit from the sales of silver and gold, they knew that a colony was needed. With one hundred forty four colonists on board, the first settlers left England on December 20th, 1606, with one goal
The colonists relied on the workers of the farm, thus beginning the growth of slavery in Virginia. This gave the wealthy farmers a way to make even more money. By the middle of the 17th century, slavery had begun. Virginia made slavery legal in 1662. Slaves were mistreated on the plantations. Slaves did the most difficult jobs like planting, weeding, and harvesting tobacco, with minimal breaks. The colonial Virginia government was created in favor of the wealthy men. The legalization of slavery is one thing that demonstrates the government’s support of the wealthy landowners. The wealthy farmers and landowners lived an easy life. Growing cash crops to supply the colony as well as many places around the world, may not have been an easy task, but only the slaves had to do the difficult part and were unpaid. Because of the General Assembly (created in 1619), men on the council were selected from the gentry. The men of the gentry were mostly the wealthy land speculators, who bought land, and sold it for a higher price. The men of the assembly used their power to vote themselves large salaries and raise the taxes on the small farmers. This made the lives of the small farmers and landowners
He strongly believed that “all Indians in general...were all enemies.” Bacon was infuriated, so he stepped forward to lead them when Berkeley refused. He would not take no as an answer. Most colonists agreed with Bacon, and in September of 1676, Bacon and his followers marched to Jamestown. Berkeley fled, and Bacon burned the town down, killing all Natives that came in their way. His followers robbed the plantations. Berkeley charged Bacon and the followers with treasons, which is a crime of betraying one’s country or hometown; a crime punishable by death. Bacon led his group to the land outside Jamestown, where he issued a Declaration of the People, against Berkeley and his government. Bacon demanded tax reductions and improved land for