American Indian Wars in Virginia

1610-1676
Jamestown Colonists — versus — Powhatan Confederacy

Powhatan Wars — 1610-46    Bacon's Rebellion — 1674-76   

Powhatan Wars : 1610-1646

CAPTION

The Powhatan Confederacy refers to a group of Indian tribes living in and around Virginia during the early 17th century, as the Jamestown colony became established. The poor location of the Jamestown colony made it highly dependent on trade with the Indian tribes, a fact which Powhatan (who had gathered all the local tribes under his banner) tried to exploit to get a hold of English technology. This was resented by the colonists, for three years, skirmishes and minor clashes added fuel to the fire, until the flame burst to life in 1610, when the settlers attacked Powhatan's camp in response to his refusal to return stolen property. This first war lasted four years, and consisted of raids, skirmishes, and ambushes. The war finally came to an end with the capture of the Indian Princess Pocahontas and peace was secured by her marriage to John Rolfe, one of the leading colonists.

After eight years of peace and good relations, the Indians, under a new chief , launched a surprise attack that killed a third of the Jamestown colonists, but the Powhatans had severely misjudged the resolve of the colonists, and after ten years of war, and in the face of starvation and defeat, the Powhatans were forced to sue for peace. After another 12 years of peace the third Powhatan war broke out, beginning with another surprise attack, which killed 500 colonists, but the colonists responded swiftly and brutally. Opechancanoug, was captured and killed, and the Powhatan Confederacy disintegrated.

Commander	Short Biography
John Smith	Adventurer, leader and early settler at Jamestown. Befriended Pocahontas.
Powhatan	Chief of the Powhatan confederacy and father of Pocahontas. Kept an uneasy peace with Jamestown settlers.
Pocahontas	Daughter of an Indian Chieftain who helped the early settlers in the Jamestown Colony in Virginia.
Opechancanough	Leader of the Powhatan confederacy who led an Indian massacre against Jamestown beginning in 1622, which killed hundreds of white settlers.

Story Links	Book Links
Virginia Colonized  in	Indian History for Young Folks  by  Francis S. Drake
A White Boy Among Indians  in	Stories of American Life and Adventure  by  Edward Eggleston
How the Redmen Fought against Their White Brothers in	This Country of Ours  by  H. E. Marshall
How Englishmen Fought a Duel with Tyranny  in	This Country of Ours  by  H. E. Marshall
Coming of the Cavaliers  in	This Country of Ours  by  H. E. Marshall
Indian Massacre in Virginia  in	Historical Tales: American II  by  Charles Morris
Opechancanough, Sachem of the Pamunkeys in	Boy's Book of Indian Warriors  by  Edwin L. Sabin

Bacon's Rebellion : 1676

CAPTION

Bacon's rebellion began when a Nathaniel Bacon, a settler near Jamestown, led a popular uprising against the government of William Berkeley. The main point of contention was that Berkeley refused to go to war against local Indians that were raiding local farms and killing settlers. Bacon and the other settlers wanted the Indians driven out of the territory surrounding Jamestown, but Berkeley personally profited from fur trade with the tribes and did not want to disturb them. The war continued for two years and ended with Bacon and his men burning the town of Jamestown. The rebellion ended in 1676 with the death of Nathaniel Bacon.

Commander	Short Biography
Nathaniel Bacon	Colonial farmer who opposed Governor Berkeley's Indian policies and led a major rebellion in Virginia.
William Berkeley	Royalist governor of Virginia who served many years both before and after the English Civil War.
Cockacoeskie	Queen of the Pamunkey, following the Powhatan wars, who made an alliance with the Virginia government during Bacon's rebellion.

Story Links	Book Links
Bacon and his Men  in	A First Book in American History  by  Edward Eggleston
Bacon's Rebellion  in	Story of the Thirteen Colonies  by  H. A. Guerber
Bacon's Rebellion  in	This Country of Ours  by  H. E. Marshall
Rebellion in the Old Dominion  in	Historical Tales: American II  by  Charles Morris

Image Links
Ruins of Jamestown  in Indian History for Young Folks	Powhatan  in Indian History for Young Folks	Pocahontas shields him from their clubs  in Indian History for Young Folks
Guarding Bacon's House  in A First Book in American History	Bacon and his Men Bacon and his Men  in A First Book in American History	Bacon's Defenses Bacon's Defenses  in A First Book in American History
Smith and Pocahontas  in Story of the Thirteen Colonies	Crowning Powhatan  in Story of the Thirteen Colonies	Bacon's Rebellion  in Story of the Thirteen Colonies
The crowning of Powhatan  in This Country of Ours	Bacon Confronting the Governor in the Square  in Builders of Our Country: Book I