Virginia, pt. 2 -- A Dominion on Fire, 1646-1685

About this episode

This episode explores Virginia's rise to prominence and the social tensions leading to rebellion during the 17th century.

We consider Virginia’s tumultuous rise to wealth and prominence as the so-called “Old Dominion” and one of the largest European settler colonies in the world –from the colony’s dangerous stand in the English Civil War, through the subsequent demographic boom, and the codification of chattel slavery – as all the while, social tensions escalated, with the growing underclass of smallholders and landless laborers chafing against gentry rule. We disentangle how a trade dispute between planters and the Doeg Indian tribe on the Potomac River touched off a massive rebellion that overthrew the royal governor, laid waste to Jamestown and many of the great plantations, and threatened to destroy the English colonial enterprise, before order was restored, and the colony was set a new path towards becoming a slave society. Please become a patron to hear all patron-only lectures, including “Virginia, pt. 1,” on Jamestown and the creation of the colony: www.patreon.com/c/u5530632 Suggested further reading: Morgan, “American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia”; Wertenaber, “The Planters of Colonial Virginia”; Kupperman, “The Jamestown Project”; Billings, Selby, & Tate…

People in this episode

Host: Samuel Biagetti

Topics covered

• Virginia history
• chattel slavery
• English Civil War
• demographic boom
• social tensions
• rebellion

Keywords

• Virginia
• Old Dominion
• chattel slavery
• rebellion
• Nathaniel Bacon
• Jamestown
• English Civil War

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation

Books & works: American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia, The Planters of Colonial Virginia, The Jamestown Project, Colonial Virginia: A History

Places: Virginia, Potomac River

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