Bacon’s Rebellion and The
French and Indian War
Bacon’s Rebellion
• Some colonists had
settled outside of
Jamestown on the
frontier.
• frontier – the edge of a
settled territory.
• These colonists suffered
constant attacks from the
Indians and believed that
the colonial government
did not protect them
enough!
Bacon’s Rebellion
• These colonists believed
that the governor favored
the Indians because he
traded with them.
• The governor told the
colonists not to attack the
Indians.
• One man named Nathaniel
Bacon was tired of the
Indian attacks. He led a
group of angry colonists in
an attack against the
Indians on the frontier.
Bacon’s Rebellion
• After defeating the Indians,
Bacon and his men
attacked the governor and
his men at Jamestown.
• Bacon and his men burned
much of Jamestown to the
ground!
• Bacon died suddenly, and
the governor ended the
rebellion!
• When the King heard about
the problems in Virginia, he
was unhappy. He sent a
new governor to take
charge.
The Most Important Colony
• By the mid-1700s, Great Britain had
established thirteen (13) colonies in North
America.
• Virginia was important in many ways.
– It had been the 1st permanent colony.
– It was the largest and most populated colony.
– It was the richest colony.
The Most Important Colony
• What Virginians
thought and did was
important to Great
Britain and to the
other colonies.
The French and Indian War
• Great Britain and France
were in competition with
each other to be the
greatest power in the
New World.
• Each country was ready
to go to war to get control
of the land in the New
World.
• The American Indians
also wanted the land
since this was their home
before either France or
Great Britain had settlers
here.
The French and Indian War
• The Indians helped the
French because they
liked trading furs with
them and the Indians
believed that the French
did not want to steal their
land from them!
• It was the French and the
Indians against Great
Britain and the colonists.
• Great Britain used its
army and men from the
thirteen (13) colonies to
fight the French and
Indians.
The French and Indian War
• One of these men was
George Washington. He
was a young officer in the
Virginia militia.
• The colonists called this
war the French and
Indian War because they
were fighting both the
French and the Indians.
Important Results of the War
• After nine (9) years of fighting, Great
Britain and the colonists won the war!
• Great Britain gained control of all the land
east of the Mississippi River except for the
city of New Orleans.
• American men (colonists) had learned how
to be soldiers.
Important Results of the War
• Men like George
Washington had learned
how to command troops.
By fighting along side of
the British, George
Washington was able to
see the weaknesses of
the British army.
• The colonists had also
held meetings and
learned how to work
together.
Important Results of the War
• All of these things helped them win the
war.
• They were very important for what was
about to happen – The American
Revolution!