Fellow Toastmasters, honored guests and dignitaries; this
was the burning of Jamestown VA; in the Year 1676. It was an event
in history which planted a "One Hundred Year Seed," one that
would change the course of Colonial America's Destiny forever, once
it came to fruition.

    Just prior to the burning of Jamestown, VA; in 1676, The American
Colonies, particularly Virginia, were governed by a self serving
greedy tyrant by the name of Sir William Berkeley. Berkeley played
favorites among the colonists. He ran things so that he and his
"Chosen ones" would prosper greatly in the new world, while everyone
else (who made up the majority) had to struggle greatly just to
make ends meet. They endured unbearable hardships. In fact,
those who were not among Berkeley's chosen ones, were not
even allowed to take up arms against marauding Native Americans
who often attacked the homesteads. Finally, the colonists had had a
belly-full of Sir William Berkeley.

 

    Enter Nathanial Bacon, who was the son of the Famous Englishman,
Francis Bacon; and, he was the cousin to Sir William Berkeley. Bacon
was the most charismatic leader of his day in Colonial America.
He stirred up a revolt among the struggling colonists, and so Bacon's
Rebellion began. For awhile, Bacon gave his cousin, Sir Billy Boy
fits. One time Sir William Berkeley completely lost it, and he threw
such a tantrum, he ran out towards his Cousin Nathaniel yelling:
"Before God and all men, shoot me!" Well, Nathaniel didn't shoot
his cousin, he had other plans; and, he besieged the Town
of Jamestown instead, running Sir William Berkeley and his
Associates, an all the other members of his "Clique" out of town.
Knowing that Berkeley would probably be back with reinforcements,
Bacon made sure that there would be nothing left for Berkeley to
take back, and so that is when Bacon set fire to Jamestown.
Jamestown was now in ashes (but was later rebuilt), and Bacon
now controlled the American Colonies.

 

    But all this was short lived, as Bacon was soon struck down
with Lime's Disease, and he died. Without Bacon's charismatic
leadership, Berkeley was able to turn the tables and Bacon's
Rebellion was quelled in short order. Now King Charles II of
England sided with Bacon throughout the entire conflict, as he
didn't particularly like the way Sir William Berkeley ran
things in the colonies either. And so, he pardoned all of Bacon's
Men involved in the uprising. But tyranny did not yield to royalty
in this case, as Sir William Berkeley completely defied The King's
pardons, and went on a bloody spree, executing Bacon's men one
by one. Well, now The King had had a belly full, and he summoned
Sir William Berkeley back to England, an order which Sir William
Berkeley could not disobey. There, he was stripped of his power,
disgraced before his fellow countrymen, and soon he died a broken
man at age 70. U.C. Berkeley up in Northern California ----------
is not named after him.

 

    Well, so ended the tyranny in Colonial America for the time
being. But, Bacon's Rebellion planted a One Hundred Year Seed.
It was the seed of desire for American Colonists to take a stand
against tyranny and self serving government officials. It was the
seed of desire for American Colonists to take a stand against
illegal "Taxation Without Representation." It was the seed of
desire for American Colonists to live in a new land which was
FREE, where "All men are created equal" and there were no
favorites. That seed came to fruition exactly one hundred years
later in Philadelphia, PA; on July 4, 1776. The place was
Independence Hall, where the Cracked Liberty Bell rang out
loud and long from the belfry, as our forefathers were signing,
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

 

Madam Toastmaster.