What was Bacon's Rebellion and why was it important?

Bacon’s Rebellion was an armed uprising that occurred in 1676 between Nathaniel Bacon and the government of Virginia. Bacon led the Virginia settlers of all classes against the government of William Berkeley. While Berkeley was the governor, tobacco prices fell and taxes rose, leading to economic problems. The right to vote was restricted to land owners, and the colonists no longer felt protected. When the colonists wanted to push westward and take Native American land, Governor Berkeley denied them. He also refused to retaliate against Native American attacks on the colonists. For these reasons, the colonists rebelled under the leadership of Nathaniel Bacon.
Bacon’s rebellion was important because it was the first time that colonists fought against tyranny. Many historians claim that Bacon’s Rebellion planted the seed for the American Revolution, which occurred 100 years later.