Final answer:
Bacon's Rebellion was a revolt in 1676 led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor Berkeley's administration in colonial Virginia, triggered by economic distress, preferential policies, and land disputes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bacon's Rebellion was a significant event in colonial Virginia history, spearheaded by Nathaniel Bacon in 1676 against the governor Sir William Berkeley. The rebellion arose from deep-seated issues including high taxes, low tobacco prices, and the perceived favoritism by the governor towards the elite.
Tensions over land, wealth access, treatment of Native Americans, and overall governance fueled the discord, leading to a civil war-like confrontation in Virginia.
Bacon, a wealthy Englishman, felt marginalized by the governor's policies which seemed to favor wealthy colonists, granting them the best offices and lands, and maintaining trade monopolies with Native Americans.
This discontent resonated with other colonists, especially former indentured servants, leading to a policy of extermination against Native peoples and a larger conflict over the direction of the colony's development.
Although the rebellion failed to fundamentally shift the power structure in Virginia, it did prompt a shift from indentured servitude towards increased reliance on African slavery, setting a precedent for future labor practices in the colonies.