Bacon's Rebellion was an armed uprising in 1676 in the British colony of Virginia, led by Nathaniel Bacon against the colonial governor William Berkeley. The rebellion was sparked by tensions over Berkeley's friendly policies toward Native Americans and his refusal to authorize attacks on them after they had attacked colonial settlements. Bacon and his followers, which included poor whites, indentured servants, and African Americans, took matters into their own hands, attacking both hostile and friendly Indian tribes. They eventually chased Governor Berkeley from Jamestown, the colony's capital, and burned it. The rebellion ended after Bacon died of dysentery, and British forces suppressed the revolt, leading to Berkeley's recall to England. The rebellion was significant as the first uprising in the American colonies involving discontented frontiersmen from various classes and races. It exposed fears among colonial elites about alliances between poor whites and blacks, accelerating the move toward a harsher racial caste system of slavery. It also marked a major challenge to royal authority before the American Revolution. Key highlights:

• Nathaniel Bacon led settlers against Native Americans after Governor Berkeley refused military support.
• The rebellion involved thousands of Virginians across racial and social lines.
• Rebels burned Jamestown, forcing Berkeley to flee.
• Bacon died suddenly, and the rebellion collapsed under British military intervention.
• Resulted in Berkeley's recall and changes in colonial governance.
• Accelerated racial divisions in labor and slavery.