Gloucester county conspiracy (1663)

Racial violence has been a distinct part of American history since 1660. While that violence has impacted almost every ethnic and racial group in the United States, it has had a particularly horrific effect on African American life. 

In 1619, a Dutch ship arrived in Virginia, bringing black Africans to America, twenty of whom were brought by the colonists as slaves. 

The rubric will overview events that had major impact on the racial unrest in the U.S.

GLOUCESTER COUNTY CONSPIRACY (1663)

The Gloucester County Conspiracy also known as Birkenhead’s Rebellion, took place in Virginia in 1663. The plan involved a rebellion of African, English, Irish, and Indian indentured servants and slaves plotting against authorities in Gloucester County, Virginia. 

The group of 9 indentured servants planned to bring enough weapons that they could steal weapons. Then they would march to the home of Virginia’s Colonial Lieutenant Governor to seize more arms. The group’s main destination, however, was the mansion of Governor Sir William Berkeley. They planned to demand that all indentured servants, who were normally required to serve seven years of indenture, be released instead one year from the beginning of their service. 

One of the indentured servants, who attended the meeting, betrayed the conspirators and shared the plans to Governor Berkeley. In response, the governor arranged for the conspirators to be ambushed at their meeting place and arrested. The general court tried the captured servants for treason, and they were later hanged. Later, the traitor was given freedom and five thousand pounds of cotton for revealing the plot.

The Gloucester County Conspiracy would mark one of the few times that indentured servants and enslaved people plotted together to gain their freedom, but numerous servile insurrections would follow in what would become the United States.

Resources:

* Wolfe, B. “Gloucester County Conspiracy (1663)”. (2013, January 29).  Gloucester County Conspiracy (1663) - Encyclopedia Virginia

* National Geographic. BYERIN BLAKEMORE. (NOVEMBER 8, 2019). How two centuries of slave revolts shaped American history (nationalgeographic.com)