Final answer:
Bacon's Rebellion was an uprising in Virginia led by Nathaniel Bacon against the colonial government over issues of land access and Native American policies. It resulted in a civil war and subsequently influenced the shift from indentured servitude to African slavery in the colonies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Virginia settlers fought westward deeper into Native lands, leading to a conflict known as Bacon's Rebellion. This uprising against the Virginia government involved both white and black people. It was precipitated by grievances over access to land and perceived failures in policy towards Native Americans. Led by Nathaniel Bacon, a young Englishman who sought more influence and power, the rebellion reflected deeper economic tensions within the colony, between the wealthy elite and the smaller planters and landless tenants.
In 1676, without Governor William Berkeley's approval, Bacon and his followers attacked the Susquehannock, thereby igniting a civil war. Berkeley's previous policies favored wealthy colonists and maintained peace through treaties with Native tribes, which frustrated Bacon and his supporters, who desired more aggressive expansion and were discontent with Berkeley's administration. The rebellion led to a shift from indentured servitude to a greater reliance on African slavery, as the colonial leaders believed this would reduce competition for land among Europeans.