Overview

      johnrandolph05:    Bacon's rebellion refers to the rebellion undertaken by mostly landless freemen in Virgina in 1676.  They were motivated by a variety of factors mostly revolving around Gov. Berkeley's policies. These included an economic downturn caused by a decrease in demand for tobacco, the governor's refusal to hold elections, the lack of land availability to farmers who were not large landowners,and the governor's refusal to permit an aggressive policy against the native Americans (Taylor,147-148). Supported by like-minded landowners and these freemen, Bacon pursued an aggressive policy towards all native Americans, and burned Jamestown. After his death, the rebellion was completely put down(http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677> ,   http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Crewes_James_1622_or_1623-1677). The rebellion's most infamous consequence is it indirectly led to an increase in demand for slave labor, and had a lasting impact on Virginian politics afterwards ( (http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677>).

arthurmiller05

     Nathaniel Bacon and many of the Jamestown colonists felt that the Indians were their enemies and couldn't be trusted. Bacon tried to get Governor Berkeley involved, but he was more focused on his successful fur trade with the Indians. Even after the Indians planned numerous attacks on the settlers, Governor Berkeley remained neutral (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p274.html).

     Bacon's Rebellion was a series of uprisings in Tidewater, Virginia that occurred in 1676 because of the high demand for land and the little availability of it. William Berkeley, Governor of Virginia, had invited Nathaniel Bacon to serve on the Virginia Council because Berkeley and Bacon were cousins. Bacon, a wealthy landowner, felt strongly that the Indians should be driven out of the Jamestown colony in order to provide more land to the citizens. Bacon gathered some followers and asked Governor Berkeley to help force the Indians out of Jamestown. Berkeley rejected the request because he wanted to keep peace with the Indians. However, Bacon was determined, and he fought in a series of revolts. Bacon managed to push the Pamunkeys away from their land, and he invaded the Occaneecheee Indians (http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/bacons-rebellion.htm). Governor Berkeley pronounced Nathaniel Bacon a rebel and charged him with treason. He was arrested, but was later pardoned by Governor Berkeley (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p274.html).

     After pushing back the Indians, Nathaniel Bacon marched with his followers to the capital demanding that the Indians be removed from the Virginia colony. Nathaniel Bacon threatened to kill Governor Berkeley when he refused to help. On July 30,1676, Nathaniel Bacon issued his “Declaration of the People”, stating that citizens should be protected from the Indians and that Berkeley was an untrustworthy person. In September 1676, after forcing Governor Berkeley out of Jamestown, Bacon and his men set Jamestown on fire. Bacon's Rebellion ended after England sent British soldiers to settle the uprisings. In October of 1676, Nathaniel Bacon died of Dysentery.(http://caho-test.cc.columbia.edu/sim/15005.html).

Who is Nathaniel Bacon? 

       georgemcgovern08: In the textbook it gives about one sentences describing Nathaniel Bacon. It informs the reader that at the time of the revolution Bacon was twenty-nine years old and a planter but Nathaniel Bacon was much more then that. He was born in Suffolk, England in 1647. He obtained his education from Cambridge University by studying law (Hakim). Not long after being at Cambridge his father took him out and got him a tutor. He than went on a tour of the continent and came back to Cambridge to earn his M.D (The Dictionary of Virginia Biography). His motive to come to America was to escape his father-in-law and because he was caught in a scandal to defraud a neighbor of his inheritance. Upon his arrival in America he settled in Virginia where he took up the occupation of a planter. The governor of Virginia was Sir William Berkeley and the cousin of Nathanial by marriage (Hakim). Bacon was appointed to The Council shortly after settling in Virginia. Nathaniel had different views from Berkeley and decided to take issues into his own hands. Governor Berkeley rebuked Bacon's attempt at reprisals and took him of The Council. Soon after that Bacon led The Bacon Rebellion that was named after Nathaniel Bacon (Hakim).

Who is Governor Berkeley?

          amitchellpalmer05:  The textbook gives almost no background information about Governor Berkeley.  Sir William Berkeley was born in 1605 in England. He studied law at Oxford and performed his original play, The Lost Lady, for the queen and king.  In 1641, he was appointed by Charles I to be the governor of Virginia. For the majority of his two terms in office, nothing out of the ordinary happened. He was seen as an average governor who did what he was told by the king.  He developed Jamestown and bolstered the Indian trade.  Berkeley kept the rival factions in Virginia under control while carrying out the king's commands. These factions were the Catholics, who followed the Pope and his direction, and the Protestants, who had broken off from the Catholic Church because of religious differences.  By the time Bacon’s rebellion occurred his approval rating among the colonists had dropped severely (Encyclopedia Virginia: Berkeley, Sir William).  This drop in approval was a key factor in the start of the rebellion since the villagers were more likely to rebel against an unpopular governor.

Cause and Effect

          georgemcgovern08: Cause: Bacon in 1652 started trading with some of the Indians but that didn’t last for long. In 1675 the Doeg and Susquehannock Indians threatened the settlers with fears of Indian raids. In September of 1675 Bacon accused some friendly Indians of stealing corn. To settle matters the General assembly met to come up with ways to protect the colony and keep peace with the Indians. To do this they temporally cut off trade with the Indians. By the time the General Assembly tried to protect and defend their colony matters had become worse. The Indian raids had reached the James River and Bacon’s overseer had been killed. This infuriated bacon. The colonist where also frustrated by the high taxes and lack of protection. With all these emotions and frustration Bacon become the leader of a militia. He requested permission from Governor Berkeley to attack the Indians but his request was denied. Bacon went behind Berkeley’s back and attacked friendly Indians. Bacon’s punishment was being kicked out of the Council and titled a rebel (The Dictionary of Virginia Biography).

      georgemcgovern08: Effect: Bacon soon after being kicked out of the Council led his men in an attack against the Occaneechi village. Berkeley disapproved of Bacon but had no control because Bacon and his men had control over most of the colony. Bacon and his men came back to Jamestown in 1676. He apologized and gave a written petition for a pardon. The governor said he was pardoning Bacon and restoring him to Council but soon after changed his mind. Bacon left Jamestown but rushed back with 500 men demanding at gun point to lead the colony against the Indians. Berkeley complied with Bacon at that moment but soon rebuked him again. Bacon got his men together and constructed “General, by the consent of people.” With this Bacon had many people sign his declaration that accused Berkeley of encouraging a civil war and endangering his people. In early September Berkeley again issued a proclamation against Bacon. Bacon acted upon this and attacked the capital. Berkeley left Jamestown September 18, 1676 and Bacon and his men burned the capital to the ground (The Dictionary of Virginia Biography).

Social Impact

amitchellpalmer05: Bacon's rebellion was a major turning point in the treatment of blacks and American ideas of racial distinction as well. Before the rebellion, the blacks and whites were about equal in all things, some owned land, some went to church, and some owned servants. Likewise, people of both European and African descent were slaves and indentured servants. They also behaved in a similar manner, and most likely looked down on each other. The combined might of the black and white labor force during Bacon's Rebellion, scared the planters. To make sure an uprising like this would not happen again, laws were passed to increase the power of some whites and these laws decreed that all African descendants would be hereditary slaves. After Bacon's Rebellion, there was an influx of Africans who were looked at as a dumb, hardworking people that could be exploited in to a large labor force. (Race- the Power of an Illusion).

Time Line 

franciscopizarro05:

• March 13, 1675- Nathaniel Bacon was appointed to the Virginia Council of State by Governor William Berkeley (http://encyclopediavirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677).
• July 1675- Bacon’s Rebellion first began when Doeg Indians raided Thomas Matthews’s plantation (http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/bacons-rebellion.htm).  Colonists responded with killing several Doeg Indians, and the Indians then killed Robert Hen, Matthew’s herdsmen. The militia then wrongly attacked the Susquehannock Indians, a peaceful tribe (http://totallyhistory.com/bacons-rebellion/).
• March 1676- Governor Berkeley, in the “Long Assembly,” called for a strong defense zone around the colony. This caused high taxes and general discontent. Colonist viewed this assembly as corrupt because only the Governor’s friends were allowed to continue trading with the Indians. Bacon was also denied a commission to lead soldiers against the Indians (http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/bacons-rebellion.htm). Without the commission, Bacon continued attacking the Susquehannocks. Bacon convinced the Occaneechi Tribe, a friendly tribe, to attack and capture the Susquehannocks. When the Occaneechis returned with the prisoners the militia opened fire on both of the Indian tribes (http://encyclopediavirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677).
• May 1676- Governor Berkeley declared Bacon a rebel and was willing to pardon Bacon’s men if they went home peacefully.
• June 5^th1679- The House of Burgesses gathered and Bacon was elected as the burgess from Henrico County while still being a wanted man. Bacon’s only major cause was his campaign against the Indians.
• June 6^th1679- Bacon was captured and forced to apologize for his actions to Governor Berkeley and the Governor’s council. After his apology, Bacon was pardoned and allowed to take his seat in the Burgesses. Later the Governor changed his mind about the pardon (http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/bacons-rebellion.htm).
• June 23^rd1679- Bacon led 500 armed men into Jamestown, and Governor Berkeley dared Bacon to shoot him. In the end, Bacon got his commission and a pardon of all of his treasons since March 1^{st (}http://encyclopediavirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677).
• July 30^th 1679- Bacon released the “Declaration of the People” and issued an oath requiring loyalty. Just before this, Governor Berkeley declared Bacon as a traitor once again (http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/bacons-rebellion.htm).
• August 1679- Bacon began to gain more support from Virginia’s leading men, he demanded a new meeting, and attacked another friendly Indian tribe, the Pamunkeys.
• Early September 1679- Governor Berkley was finally able to return to Jamestown, but then hid at Arlington Plantation, where he was found by a ship sent by Bacon. In a turn of events Bacon’s men were captured and later hanged between September 3^rd - 6^th. On the 7^th, Governor Berkeley was able to retake Jamestown without firing a shoot. 
• September 13^th-19^th 1679- Bacon recaptured Jamestown and then ordered his soldiers to burn it to the ground.
• October 26^th 1679- Bacon died from dysentery and Joseph Ingram toke command of the rebel troops. The next day King Charles II made a proclamation that Bacon’s forces needed to be stopped.
• November-December 1679- Fighting continued, and the bloodiest of the battles happened in November when rebels controlled all of Virginia with the exception of the Eastern Shore. The King sent three people to investigate the rebellion and put it down.
• January 2^nd 1677- Governor Berkeley was finally able to return to Jamestown.
• May 1677- Sir Berkeley went to England to plea his case to the King, but he died on July 9^th before he could.
• Summer 1677- The investigation report came back from the three men sent by the King and the blame was placed all on Bacon and Berkeley (http://encyclopediavirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677).

Importance  

            franciscopizarro05: Bacon’s Rebellion was major milestone in American history, but historians have varied views about the true importance of the rebellion. A common conclusion about the importance of the rebellion is that it led to the growth of racial slavery because it demonstrated to the wealthy upper-class that the poor white and black slaves could unite for a common cause. (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p274.html). Bacon’s Rebellion is also viewed by historians as an event of importance because it marked the end of the fortunes of Virginia Indians. Another prominent theory, is that it aided the older original founders of the colony to expand their dominance over the colony is the years that followed, for example the Washington and the Lee families (http://encyclopediavirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677.

Analysis

Heorification

 johnrandolph05:  In regards to heroification, the American Pageant textbook has done a decent job of documenting the horrors the native American population endured during Bacon's rebellion, but neglects to mention that Nathaniel Bacon harbored deep anti-native prejudices. In his words , all native Americans in the region were enemies (Taylor, 149). The omission of this may cause readers to assume that the said horrors were not ordered by Bacon. This also applies to the burning of Jamestown. Again, Bacon ordered this, but this is omitted from the textbook (http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677>).  On the flip side, Gov. Berkeley has been relatively demonized.  While the textbook rightly describes Berkeley as not pursing an offensive strategy, it neglects to mention that he did have a defensive strategy  ( Taylor, 149). This shifts any sympathy that Gov. Berkeley may solicit from the reader to Bacon.

amitchellpalmer05: Governor Berkeley retired after his first term. Following the sudden death of his predecessor, he went back into office at the age of 55. By the time Bacon's Rebellion started he was 70 years old and was in poor health (Encyclopedia Virginia: Berkeley, Sir William). The American Pageant paints Berkeley as a sad and overwhelmed person, which is true, but it fails to tell why he was so miserable. Loewen refers to herofication as a common textbook practice, but The American Pageant does the opposite with Berkeley. This puts him into the role of the anti-hero, ignoring the part that timing and age play at this time in his life.

amitchellpalmer05: This uprising brought together poor blacks and whites for the duration of the rebellion. The cooperation between the races frightened the ruling class and hastened racial slavery (People & events). This important detail in the path to African slavery is excluded from the textbook, most likely because it would introduce the idea racism. According to Loewen, most textbooks try to avoid presenting ideas that make the "right" people look bad (173).

Social Archtypes and Class Conflict 

   johnrandolph05:  With social archetypes, the textbook has again not outright contradicted the historical record, but simplified it. While Bacon's rebellion was motivated by class resentments and attracted many landless colonists, it neglects to mention that Bacon was also supported by more prosperous colonists in addition to these freemen. Instead, it only leaves Gov. Berkeley's assertion that Bacon was supported by the humblest colonists.  The textbook does not refute this Berkeley's incorrect notion that Bacon had only the poorest colonists backing him. A closer look at the events will reveal that this was not the case. For instance, James Crewes , one of Bacon's chief supporters, was a landowning merchant (<http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Crewes_James_1622_or_1623-1677>). Crewes was not alone in supporting Bacon among landowners. William Carver, another landowning merchant in addition to being a former member of the House of Burgesses, also supported Bacon   <http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org     /Carver_William_d_1676>. The omission of such figures as Crewes and the documentation of Bacon's offensive against native Americans may create the image of Bacon's rebels as a rage-filled  band of ignorant colonists. Also,  the textbook implies that the death of Nathaniel Bacon and his supporters from diseases was the primary cause of the rebellion's defeat. While Bacon's death was a factor in the rebellion's defeat, this unintentionally creates the image of a leaderless rabble being smothered immediately after his death. This is inaccurate as the rebels continued to fight three months after Bacon's death(<http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677>). To put this in perspective , Bacon's death happened on October,26, 1676 and James Crewes' was executed for his activities during the rebellion in January,26,1676 (http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677> http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Crewes_James_1622_or_1623-1677>).  The attribution of the rebellion's defeat to simple disease is a disservice to Bacon's followers and again supports the mental image of Bacon's rebels as an ignorant mob.

johnrandolph05: This textbook also omits the rebellion's consequences other than an increased demand for slaves. Therefore, Bacon's rebels can be seen as partially responsible for the increase of slavery. While this is somewhat accurate, the rebellion was not without more beneficial effects. Gov. Berkeley was removed from office and replaced by Sir Herbert Jefferys (Taylor,150). Moreover, taxes were reduced in the decades following Bacon's rebellion (Taylor,151). Neglecting to mention this implies that the rebels' grievances were not addressed by the government after the rebellion.

georgemcgovern08: Loewen's theme is predominantly class conflict which follows with the information given in the American Pageant textbook. My research from the textbook does not flat out say there was class conflict but instead it describes the events that led to the Bacon Rebellion and allows the ready to figure out for themselves. My findings fit in line with Loewen in that the poorer free men were labeled with causing "tumults at the election to the disturbance of the majesty's peace" (Kennedy, David, Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas A. Bailey). Governor William Berkeley clearly separated the classes and treated the poorer men with little to no respect. He did not grant the poorer free men with arable land and left them on the rim of the settlement to protect the richer men from Indian attacks. When the rebellion occurred Loewen and the American Pageant textbook follow each other in saying how damaging and gruesome the situation was. Loewen states the Bacon Rebellion as being "the most violet class conflict in American history" (Loewen 207). The textbook does not say word for word what Loewen had to say but it gives figures on the number of Virginias who broke out in the rebellion and adjectives to describe the men's feelings and frustrations towards Governor Berkeley. It talks about how brutal and ruthless Nathanial Bacon and his followers were and puts a startling picture of the most violet class conflict in America.

     franciscopizarro05: Another prominent theme in Lies My Teacher Told Me is social archetypes. In the textbook there only two short sentences acknowledging that in Bacon’s Rebellion Indians were attacked. In reality Bacon’s Rebellion was string of attacks against the Indians as an act of defiance to Governor Berkeley’s policy of peace with the Indians. By not expanding on what caused and occurred during Bacon’s attacks on Indians, the book makes it appear the Indians being attacked was an acceptable thing to do in society. The textbook follows the belief of the period that Indians were savages and primitive people. This common view of Indians was also a common theme in Loewen’s book. In his book, Loewen describes that Indians were viewed as savages and that was their place in the social archetype (Loewen 116). The textbook demonstrates another example of social archetypes when it describes that only poor landless men followed Bacon, when proper research is carried out one can find that men of power also followed Bacon. In August 1679 Bacon had actually gained support from seventy leading men in Virginia. By saying that only the poor followed Bacon the book makes the lines of society appear to be as strong as a brick wall in the rebellion, but the rebellion blurred the lines of rich and poor as they fought together against the Indians and the Governor (http://encyclopediavirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677).

arthurmiller05: Social Archetypes(analysis)

In American Pageant, the textbook describes Bacon's Rebellion as being caused by social class conflict, and leaves out other important causes. For example, the textbook highlighted that there were many landless men who were refused the right to vote for having no interest in the colony. For most of these men the hope of receiving land was doubtful. In addition, the textbook also mentions that Nathaniel Bacon convinced former servants to join the rebellion, because they were already worked up about their failure to find wives and availability land. While the textbook chose to focus on social class conflict, my research showed that there were other causes of Bacon's Rebellion that were not mentioned in the textbook. For example, during the time period, the colony had been experiencing economic problems including reducing tobacco prices. In addition, the colonies also experienced weather problems such as hurricanes and floods. After experiencing these problems, the colonists took their anger out on the Indians making them Scapegoats(http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/bacons-rebellion.htm). These causes also helped motivate Bacon's Rebellion to begin.

    amitchellpalmer05: The problem that started the Indian raids was most likely caused by the plantation owner Thomas Mathews.  He was accused by the Doeg Indians of not paying them for a trade.  This dispute ended up with the Doeg raiding the settlers and becoming unfriendly.  While Governor Berkeley tried to maintain peace talks, some colonists refused to listen to him and attacked a friendly Indian tribe known as the Appomattox. These events lead to the Bacon rebellion (National Park Service). Without this part of the story, the textbook leads the reader to believe that the Indians were savage and attacked without cause.  

     amitchellpalmer05: The American Pageant takes a Eurocentric view on Bacon's Rebellion.  The textbook paints all the Indians as savage creatures who needed to be controlled and the Europeans as superior to the Indians.  By not mentioning the names of the tribes that attacked the colonists, all Indians are characterized as savages without taking into account Indian tribes that were friendly to the colonists.  This parallels Loewen's example on pages 70 and 71, asking students when the United States was first settled (Lies My Teacher Told Me).  This example works because Loewn's students were told by previous teachers that it was first settled in 1620 by the Europeans, when in fact it was first settled by the Indians around 3000 BC. Both of these examples minimize the importance of indigenous people.

Melodrama 

     franciscopizarro05: In the book The American Pageant, Bacon’s Rebellion is portrayed as series events that were continuous because only the start year was provided but not the end date. By omitting this, events of the rebellion appear to be nonstop enhancing the drama. Yes, Bacon’s Rebellion was a dramatic event with an accelerated pace; however, the book enhances this drama even more. This idea of enhancement is melodrama, one of the most substantial themes in James Loewen’s book Lies My Teacher Told Me. A reader may interpret Bacon’s Rebellion as an event spanning over a short time period because of the way The American Pageant just lists the events, but in reality Bacon’s Rebellion spanned for almost a year. Another example of melodrama in the textbook is when causes of the rebellion are described. Young men are described to be frustrated over not being able to own land and find bribes, but in all reality more factors contributed to the rebellion. These factors included the extremely low price of tobacco, the separation of the colony into proprieties, and burdened trade because of Parliament in England. If the textbook would have expanded the explanation of the origins of the rebellion, then it would have been a more realistic drama. A third example of melodrama is found in the textbook when the rebellion is described to stop after Bacon’s death; however, Bacon’s Rebellion did continue after Bacon’s death and the bloodiest of the battles occurred in November 1679 a month after Bacon’s passing. By the book not stating this fact the rebellion has a dramatic ending that coincided with a dramatic event (http://encyclopediavirginia.org/Bacon_s_Rebellion_1676-1677).

johnrandolp05: The textbook's depiction of Bacon's Rebellion is slightly overly melodramatic. To be sure, Bacon's rebellion wasa dramatic event, but describing it as chaotic is overblown. The House of Burgessess continued to meet during the rebellion (http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/House_of_Burgesses). The occurrence of this does not fit in the textbook's description of it being "chaotic". Another example of melodrama can be found in a lack of context. While Bacon's rebellion was caused by frontiersmen being alienated by Gov. Berkeley's attitude towards them and native Americans, the textbook does not mention the connection between the contemporary events of King Philip's Warand Bacon's Rebellion. King Philip's War broke out in the early months of 1675 and had resulted in colonial towns being eliminated ( Taylor,199-200). Although the events of King Philips War began before Bacon's rebellion and would not end until Bacon's rebellion concluded, the fact that King Philip's war demonstrated the destructive potential of native Americans cannot be denied ( Taylor,199 and 201). This makes Bacon's position on Native Americans much more understandable. Consequently, it makes Bacon's rebels less of a furious mob than a reactionary group attempting to preempt native American aggression and explains why Bacon was supported by figures like Crewes and Carver.

         athurmiller05:  Melodrama(analysis)

The textbook shows a melodramatic side to Bacon's Rebellion by highlighting the idea that Governor Berkeley was the villain during the event. For example, in American Pageant, Governor Berkeley came across as a self-centered person who cared most about securing his successful fur trade with the Indians. However, the textbook failed to mention Governor Berkeley's other reasons for staying neutral throughout Bacon's Rebellion. During Bacon's Rebellion, Governor Berkeley remained a bystander because he believed that allowing Bacon to drive away the Indians would evolve to him starting revolts that targeted the colony. In addition, Governor Berkeley also believed that if the colonists fought friendly Indians then all the Indians would rise up and start a war with the colony(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p274.html). These other motivations showed that Berkeley was a good leader and cared about the colony.

Class Conflict

     georgemcgovern08: Class Conflict is, “conflict between different classes in a community resulting from different social or economic positionsand reflecting opposed interests" ("Class struggle"). In Lies My Teacher Told Me, Loewen tells the readers that the most violet class conflict in his opinion is the Bacon Rebellion. Bacon's followers where mostly lower class men. The lower class men and freed indentured servants where very angry with the government because they did not offer land grants to this particular social class. The government did not respect this social class and classified them as buffers between the Indians and the city. This was not the only form of class conflict. The well to do aristocratic leaders in America only looked out for themselves and England’s crown. This is a large factor that led to the Bacon Rebellion. Lower class men no longer wanted to deal with being disrespected by the local government and so they rebelled (Eliz).

     Class conflict also came into effect with the cruel and harsh punishment placed on the Native Americans and imported Africans. They were put in harsh work environments and forced to work for little or no pay at all. Class Conflicts like the Native Americans and imported Africans slowly came to an end when the people of England heard of the discrimination and take a stand. A very strong stand that was taken against class conflict was The Bacon Rebellion.

Critical Thinking

     johnrandolph05: I have concluded that although the textbook provided a fundamentally correct view of Bacon's rebellion, a more detailed and understandable view could only be found in additional research.   Now, I will approach the textbook with a slightly less trustworthy view. Of course, it provided the basic details of Bacon's rebellion, but omitting significant details obscures the truth.  It is my opinion that it is time to raise textbook standards , so a more complete view of events is included. Also, I have concluded that holding leaders accountable for questionable actions is fundamental. Not doing so leads readers to an incorrect impression of the common people involved in historical events.

     georgemcgovern08: My understanding of Loewen impacted me on looking deeper into class conflict. It revealed to me that if it weren't for the Bacon Rebellion America would be a whole different country. The population would have a larger portion of Native Americans and our language could have been predominately Native language. Class Conflict encouraged slavery which led to further problems and wars in our American History. Who knew that one tiny piece of history could of such a dramatic affect on America culture and way of life. My study of history now has more insight on how an event like the Bacon Rebellion has had an impact and contribution towards other events.

     amitchellpalmer05: The textbook, I have found, is a good overview of the main points of this historical event.  However, it does not state a specific reason of why the Indians attacked and it gives no indication of the length of time the Bacon Rebellion took place.  Just adding these two details would help the reader realize that it was not just an event that randomly occurred, but was a situation that was created by past events.  Loewen's book has influenced me to not take things out of context but to look for why something happened so I can connect it to other events.  Making these connections is valuable, too, because it leads to a better remembrance of the subject. 

     franciscopizarro05:  The book Lies My Teacher Told Me, will impact my approach to the study of history in that I will take more time to analyze what I read in my textbook. When I read my textbook I will not just breeze threw it and accept that everything it says it one hundred percent true. After reading the book, I now know how much bias can play into how history is presented and retold. In the past I knew from previous teachers that history can be manipulated to present a certain message or bias, but I do not think I realized how accurate this was until reading this book. Loewen’s comparison of our textbook, America Pageant, to the actual historic truth struck me because I was able to grasp and see what he was describing. It made me see the information in our textbook a whole new way. With regards to Bacon’s Rebellion depiction in the textbook, it was accurate but I could see example of Loewen’s themes in the passage. One thing that stood out was the use of the word “savage” to describe Indians, when after reading Loewen’s book I realized it is inaccurate and ill-informed.

arthurmiller05:

Reading Loewen's book, has given me a new perspective on how to approach my textbook. In Lies My Teacher Told Me, Loewen has taught me to always be attentive and look for textbook biases. I was surprised to find out that one bias found in textbooks is called heroification, which is used to make a historical figure seem like a hero. For example, textbooks will often leave the negative facts out of a passage in order to make the historical figure seem better than they are. I will do outside research to help me understand the complete story about the historical figure in the textbook. I also found it interesting that textbooks use melodrama to exaggerate passages in order to make them seem more appealing and exciting. In addition to doing outside research, I will reread the textbook to identify if the author is making a historical figure seem one-sided. A social Archetype is a picture that society puts in their mind because they have seen a certain archetype used many times in the past and assume that it will occur every time. After reading the textbook, I will look for recurring archetypes to see if there are common biases between other events in history. Loewen's book has given me a better understanding on how to approach the textbook, and has given me resources to take better outlines for the class in the future.

Visual/work cited

amitchellpalmer05:

 Bacon's Castle location, Surry, VA (Google Earth)

Bacon's Castle location, Surry, VA (Google Earth)

Johnrandolph05:                                       Johnrandolph05:

                                                                                This is a drawing of Bacon's men burning Jamestown.                                              

                                                                                                      This painting depicts Gov. Berkeley.

amitchellpalmer05:

                                                       This painting depicts the confrontation of Governor Berkeley by Nathaniel Bacon (National Park Service)

Johnrandolph05:

georgemcgovern08:

This is a photograph of Bacons Castle located in Surry Virginia. It was built in 1665 and is the location of Bacon's Rebellion. 18th and 19th century modifications have changed the appearance of the house. It is the only Jacobean style house in America (Glass).

 georgemcgovern08:

                                                                               (Gravescout)

This is a photograph of a War memorial in Yorktown, Va. At the top of the War memorial is a list of men who lived in Yorktown, Va and lost in battle in the Bacon Rebellion.

                                                     franciscopizarro05:    

                                                       This panting depicts Bacon leading his men in Jamestown (http://www.baconsrebellion.com/about).

                                                                  franciscopizarro05:

This picture is a recreation of Nathaniel Bacon demanding his commission from Governor William Berkeley (http://b-womeninamericanhistory17.blogspot.com/2010/01/ann-cottons-account-of-bacons-rebellion.html).

\

arthurmiller05:                                                             arthurmiller05:                                                                                                        arthurmiller05:

Governor Berkeley                                                            Map during Bacon's Rebellion                                                                              

"Bacon's Rebellion." National Park Service. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Aug. 2012.

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