Indentured servitude was a method used by the New World colonists to get cheap labor and also, simultaneously, acted as a means to attract more settlers into the growing providence. Though the position was not considered as inferior as a slave, the conditions of indentured servitude were demanding and often times even more strenuous than slavery because of the impermanence of the job. Indentured servants were often viewed as expendable; therefore, their masters often treated them as such by not providing to adequately meet basic human needs or abusing their disciplinary powers.
With the colonists’ spirits being lifted by the triumphant discovery of the New World, the early1600s were an exciting and progressive time period. English settlers
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Because so many were eager to escape the authoritative demands of England’s monarchial government but were too poor travel freely, many chose indentured servitude as a means to get a foothold in the colonies. Most indentured servants were young and had been sent by their parents to earn money and gain land in the New World. Others who were willing to endure the turbulent years of servitude did not have any other options because they were often convicts, prostitutes, peasants or some other form of social outcast that had no better chance of survival in England than in the unrelenting conditions of early colonization. This is one of the primary reasons indentured servants, if able to survive, were willing to succumb to such grueling conditions, because they had either already experienced worse or because servitude was their only …show more content…
African Americans’ service contracts were often abused, essentially making them lifelong slaves to the plantation. As seen repeatedly throughout history, racial prejudice was a large issue among the new colonies and when it came to indentured servitude, those of ethnic decent often received the worst negligence from contract abuse to physical abuse, and in this case, masters were commonly not held accountable for their grotesque actions. Fortunately, there were some African Americans who were rightfully granted their freedom and benefits at the end of their servitude and, thus, were able to build a life in the New
Indentured servant - Someone who agreed to work for a number of years in exchange for the cost of a voyage to North America
They preferred African slaves to European or Native American slaves because they "could be held for unlimited terms, and there was no means by which word of harsh or arbitrary treatment could reach their homelands" (Wood, 43). The ability of the Englishmen to hold slaves for an unlimited amount of time and to use any methods of punishment gave them all the power. The indentured servant only worked to fulfill the previous contract as part of the headright system. Colonists "complained of the 'servants that dayley become free"(41). Since the servants had varying terms of service, it made it difficult to keep enough workers. Native Americans were cheap and did not have to be imported, but knew the land better than the Englishmen and could easily escape. There was also a language barrier and they died relatively quick, which made them not worth the investment. This shows some insight into how the African population started to become
By the 18th century, Pennsylvania was becoming home for American Development. Many people that were drawn to Pennsylvania were servants whether, for sometimes 4 years or however long, it took to pay off debt for their travel across the Atlantic. If they weren’t servant, they were slaves who almost had no chance of freedom. Servants had a chance to become free after paying off their debts with work, but not the same for slaves.
Even if the ill-treatments did not manifest into physical or verbal abuse, the servants were exposed to crude surroundings. Among many factors included being malnourished, sleep deprivation, and/or overburden with hard manual labor. The indentured servants were treated like property instead of hard-working human beings. They could be bought and sold at any time.
During the 1600’s people began to look for different types of work in the new world. As cash crops, such as tobacco, indigo, and rice, were growing in the South, there became a need for labor. This got the attention of convicts, debtors, and other people looking for new opportunities and money. Indentured servitude was vastly growing during the 17th and 18th centuries. Approximatively 10 million men, women, and children were moved to the new world. Women during this time found themselves being sold to men for these cash crops. A commonly used term during this time for these women was tobacco brides. Almost 7.7 million of the slaves captured and moved to the new world were African Americans. Slaves and indentured servants had it rough for
With growing demand for labor came the increasing cost of indentured servants, whose four to seven years of labor would end. They would expand to the West, demanding land and creating their own lawless settlements. Bacon's Rebellion came to show landowners that white rebellious males posed a threat, and the event came to represent the threat indentured servitude had become. By 1763, landowners’ focus turned to African slaves for a number of reasons. The amount of land and demand for colonial raw materials and goods skyrocketed along with the developing plantation systems in the Chesapeake other southern colonies. These regions had enormous amounts of slaves; the southern colonies’ population was 30-60% slaves. Slaves were a more profitable source of labor since landowners did not have to pay them. Slaves were typically bound for life, versus the seven year cycle that indentured servants were bound to their masters. This proved to be a more efficient model, especially since slavery became legally perpetual. Slavery was extended through the generations, whereas indentured servants would eventually be
To understand the desperation of wanting to obtain freedom at any cost, it is necessary to take a look into what the conditions and lives were like of slaves. It is no secret that African-American slaves received cruel and inhumane treatment. Although she wrote of the horrific afflictions experienced by slaves, Linda Brent said, “No pen can give adequate description of the all-pervading corruption produced by slavery." The life of a slave was never a satisfactory one, but it all depended on the plantation that one lived on and the mast...
misery in no less than 32 children in our ship, all of whom were thrown into the sea.” (Gottlieb Mittelberger, Journey to Pennsylvania in the Year 1750). Once the indentured servants arrived to their destination, they would sign a contract in agreement to serve their designated master. There was no relationship between a master and a servant. It was in agreement that the servant would work
As the United States grew, the institution of slavery became a way of life in the southern states, while northern states began to abolish it. While the majority of free blacks lived in poverty, some were able to establish successful businesses that helped the Black community. Racial discrimination often meant that Blacks were not welcome or would be mistreated in White businesses and other establishments. A comparison of the narratives of Douglass and Jacobs demonstrates the full range of demands and situations that slaves experienced, and the mistreatment that they experienced as well. Jacobs experienced the ongoing sexual harassment from James Norcom, just like numerous slave women experienced sexual abuse or harassment during the slave era. Another issue that faced blacks was the incompetence of the white slave owners and people. In ...
When one thinks of slavery, they may consider chains holding captives, beaten into submission, and forced to work indefinitely for no money. The other thing that often comes to mind? Stereotypical African slaves, shipped to America in the seventeenth century. The kind of slavery that was outlawed by the 18th amendment, nearly a century and a half ago. As author of Modern Slavery: The Secret World of 27 Million People, Kevin Bales, states, the stereotypes surrounding slavery often confuse and blur the reality of slavery. Although slavery surely consists of physical chains, beatings, and forced labor, there is much more depth to the issue, making slavery much more complex today than ever before.
Slavery in the eighteenth century was worst for African Americans. Observers of slaves suggested that slave characteristics like: clumsiness, untidiness, littleness, destructiveness, and inability to learn the white people were “better.” Despite white society's belief that slaves were nothing more than laborers when in fact they were a part of an elaborate and well defined social structure that gave them identity and sustained them in their silent protest.
Indentured Servants helped the colonies progress their population. England at the time was over populated, and jobs were hard to find. So many people that could not afford the boat trip over to America offered themselves as to be an indentured servant for a period of time. This contractual term can last from between four to seven years. Many colonists preferred having indentured servants over slaves, cause they also helped ward off Native Americans from attacking settlers. The one big draw back of indentured servant was that they usually did not make it pass the first year of their contract.
Most people back then believed that being an indentured servant wasn’t worth it because freedom was important. Many also argue that coming to the colonies is an amazing opportunity no matter how you get there. Although, I do believe that both sides make a good point I think that if you have the chance to come to the colonies that you should take it, even if it means that you have to be an indentured servant. Ultimately, I will explain to you why I believe that you should go to the colonies instead of staying in England where who knows what could happen to you.
Indentured servants didn’t really have much opportunity. The system was set up for the wealthy to become even wealthier from the use of the poor and servants. The only way to strengthen your social status was to learn a trade such as knitting however this would only raise it only a little bit. Because the people believed freed slaves and servants “to be bothersome to the providence.” The only real opportunity they received was that they recieved a horse if they were a man and a cow if they were a woman when they were
Slavery has been a part of human practices for centuries and dates back to the world’s ancient civilizations. In order for us to recognize modern day slavery we must take a look and understand slavery in the American south before the 1860’s, also known as antebellum slavery. Bouvier’s Law Dictionary defines a slave as, “a man who is by law deprived of his liberty for life, and becomes the property of another” (B.J.R, pg. 479). In the period of antebellum slavery, African Americans were enslaved on small farms, large plantations, in cities and towns, homes, out on fields, industries and transportation. By law, slaves were the perso...