Final answer:
Governor Berkeley favored a defensive strategy with fort construction, which was costly and increased taxes, while Bacon advocated for and pursued an offensive approach, leading to a civil war in Virginia known as Bacon's Rebellion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The differences between Nathaniel Bacon and Governor William Berkeley's strategies for dealing with Indian attacks during the Susquehannock War and the subsequent Bacon's Rebellion can be understood in terms of defense versus offense. Berkeley, who had been the governor of Virginia since 1641, aimed to build forts on the frontier in a defensive posture to manage tensions with Native American tribes.
This plan would have increased taxes, an outcome that was unpopular with the frontier residents. In contrast, Nathaniel Bacon led a faction that preferred an offensive strategy, disregarding the high-handed defensive stance of Berkeley. The frontier residents aligned with Bacon wanted to attack the Indians directly, seeing it as a less costly approach and an opportunity to deal with the source of their grievances. Bacon's unauthorized aggression led to a civil war in Virginia and Berkeley branding him a traitor.
Eventually, Bacon's Rebellion unfolded after he failed to receive a commission from Berkeley and still led attacks against Native tribes, including those who were not directly involved in hostilities, such as the Powhatan, longtime allies of the English. This difference in approach towards dealing with the Indians exacerbated existing economic and political tensions within the colony. The culmination of these events saw Berkeley fleeing, Jamestown burned, and a temporary shift in power before the rebellion was ultimately quelled and both Berkeley and Bacon had passed away.