Final answer:
Answer choice (c) 'Slavery provided a solution to labor shortages' is correct as Bacon's Rebellion accelerated the transition from indentured servitude to racial slavery. The rebellion influenced Virginia's leaders to favor slavery as a more controllable and permanent labor force, establishing stricter laws that furthered the entrenchment of racial slavery in the colony.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question is History, specifically the aftermath of Bacon's Rebellion in terms of its influence on the institution of slavery in Virginia. While Bacon's Rebellion stemmed initially from confrontations between English settlers and Native American tribes, it evolved into a conflict with deeper economic and social implications. Under Governor William Berkeley's rule, smaller planters and the commoners felt marginalized, facing high taxes and poorer land allocations. The rebellion, led by Nathaniel Bacon, was a manifestation of this discontent, but it was also a turning point that prompted a decisive shift from indentured servitude to racial slavery as a labor system.
Answer choice (c) 'Slavery provided a solution to labor shortages' is the correct option, as Bacon's Rebellion did indeed hasten the shift from indentured servitude to lifelong racial slavery. After the rebellion, Virginia's leaders saw a benefit in expanding and solidifying the institution of slavery: unlike indentured servants who could eventually claim land and compete for resources, enslaved Africans could be controlled indefinitely without such expectations. This shift was reinforced by draconian laws that curtailed the freedoms of Black individuals and institutionalized racial slavery. The rebellion, therefore, intensified the reliance on enslaved African labor, and hardened the racial divisions that would shape the social hierarchy in the colonies.