View source for Beginning of Progress and Conclusion of Bacon's Rebellion

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''The Beginning of Progress and Conclusion of Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia in the Years 1675 & 1676''}}
===by Thomas Matthew===
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Thomas Matthew, a 17th-century Potomac River planer-merchant, authored ''The Beginning of Progress and Conclusion of Bacon's Rebellion in the Years 1675 & 1676'', a firsthand manuscript detailing interactions, encounters, and observations that transpired during [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacon%27s_Rebellion Bacon's Rebellion].<ref>Encyclopedia Virginia, s.v. "Bacon's Rebellion (1676-1677)," by James Douglas Rice, accessed April 6, 2015, http:www.encyclopediavirginia.org/bacon_s_rebellion_1676-1677</ref>The roots of Bacon's Rebellion trace back to Matthew's strained relationship with Algonquian-speaking Doeg Indians settled in the Potomac River Valley.<ref>Ibid.</ref> These tense relations escalated into physical violence as Matthew and several English neighbors harmed and killed Native Americans attempting to make off with livestock on the Matthew farm. <ref>Salviati-Marambaud, Yvette. ''Nathaniel Bacon: A Frontrunner of the Revolution?''. Vol. 19. Cycnos, 2008. http://revel.unice.fr/cycnos/?id=1268 (accessed April 6, 2015)</ref> This flair up served stirred numerous schisms within the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Burgesses Virginia House of Burgesses], most notably between incumbent Governor [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Berkeley_%28governor%29 Sir William Berkeley], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Bacon_%28colonist%29 Nathaniel Bacon], a member of the Governor's Council.<ref>Encyclopedia Virginia.</ref>Berkely and Bacon's dissent over how to properly bring this controversy to a peaceful conclusion served as the primary driver behind Bacon's Rebellion, a foreshadowing of broader colonial frustration with the British Crown's appointed political officials.

Matthew addressed his manuscript of ''The Beginning of Progress and Conclusion of Bacon's Rebellion' in the Years 1675 & 1676'' to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Harley,_1st_Earl_of_Oxford_and_Earl_Mortimer Robert Harley], Queen Anne's Secretary of State. <ref>Matthew, Thomas. ''The Beginning of Progress and Conclusion of Bacon's Rebellion in the Years 1675 & 1676''. Reprint Manuscript. P. Force, 1835. Original manuscript, 1675. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/jefferson_papers/tm.html (accessed April 6, 2015).</ref> While the author signed his name "T.M.," Matthew claims to reside in Northumberland County and possess a plantation within Virginia's Stafford County. Matthew later represented this property while serving on the House of Burgesses, allowing scholars and historians greater comfort in affirming Matthews as the manuscript's author. <ref>Fiske, John. ''The Historical Writings of John Fiske: Old Virginia and her Neighbours''. Vol. 5, 77. Houghton Mifflin, 1902.</ref>

==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==

==References==
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[[Category:American History]]
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]