Culture in Chesapeake

Ch. 4
-Culture in Chesapeake: life is short due to diseases. Men outnumber women 6-1. There are weak marital ties due to premarital pregnancies (A 3rd of brides were pregnant b4 wedding). There was a pop. increase w/native-born ppl who developed immunities (Vir. most populous colony in 18th c)
-Tobacco in Chesapeake: It was good 4 tobacco cultivation. By 1700 Chesapeake exported 10 mill lbs of it a yr. The tobacco exhausted land& led to western expansion which agitated the Indians. Also, it led to overproduction when prices fell& created the need for the "headright system." This helped farmers who needed more workers& it awarded whoever brought over an indentured servant 50 acres of land. Yet, as land grew scarce, owners prolonged the original 7 yr contracts.
Bacon's rebellion: l667,men were frustrated by the lack of money,work, land(no vote), and women. The rebels were resentful of Vir. gov. William Berkley's friendly treatment of the Indians (since he monopolizes the fur trade). The rebels massacred Indians when Berkley refused to retaliate against Indian attacks on the frontier. The leader, Nathaniel Bacon died of disease and Berkeley crushes the uprising, pitting frontiersmen against aristocracy & promoting the use of black slaves.
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