The 'Declaration of the People of Virginia' was issued by Nathaniel Bacon in response to the frustrations among settlers in Virginia regarding Governor William Berkeley's administration. Colonists were increasingly discontented with Berkeley's policies, particularly his failure to protect them from Native American attacks and his reluctance to allow frontier expansion. Bacon, a planter and a former ally of Berkeley, capitalized on these grievances and garnered popular support from disaffected farmers and laborers. The declaration summoned the colonists to revolt against what they perceived as an unjust government responsible for their safety and economic hardships.

Following the issuance of this declaration on July 30, 1676, Bacon led an armed insurrection, intending to overthrow Berkeley and his government. The rebellion quickly escalated, resulting in violent confrontations including the burning of Jamestown, the capital of Virginia. Bacon's Rebellion represented a significant moment in colonial America as it unified various factions of society against a common enemy, thereby revealing deep divisions in social, economic, and political structures. For many planter elites, the rebellion was not just a fight against perceived injustices but also reflected the racial and class dynamics that would shape the development of Virginia.

The uprising concluded with Bacon's death from dysentery in October 1676, which led to the rebellion's collapse. In the aftermath, the Virginia government implemented harsher measures against both Indians and lower-class colonists, resulting in a stratification of society that legitimized the social hierarchy. Additionally, the rebellion prompted changes in colonial policies that would ultimately influence future relationships between the English settlers and Native American tribes, altering the course of colonial governance in Virginia and setting a precedent for future resistance against authority.