The difference between slaves and indentured servants has been distorted for years because of the deviations that transpired transversely at innumerable points throughout the late 1600’s and early 17th century. And so their corresponding characteristics or roles may seem different when you look at them from dissimilar historical viewpoints.
The definition of indenture is an agreement or contract to which an individual is bound to provide various services set forth by a person or group of bond holders. Indentured servants included males, females and children.
According to Indentured Servants “The growth of tobacco, rice, and indigo and the plantation economy created a tremendous need for labor in Southern English America. Without the aid of modern machinery, human sweat and blood was necessary for the planting, cultivation, and harvesting of these cash crops. While slaves existed in the English colonies throughout the 1600s, indentured servitude was the method of choice employed by many planters before the 1680s. This system provided incentives for both the master and servant to increase the working population of the Chesapeake colonies.”
London was filled with many deprived under privileged people who were thirsty and hungry and eager to provide for themselves and their families. Recruiters known as “Spirits” sought after the less fortunate and would often buy them dinner along with numerous alcoholic beverages causing the person to become inebriated and they would literally sign their lives away for a specified period of time generally 4-7 years. Not everyone who agreed to indentured servitude was tricked into doing so, many willingly signed contracts with hopes of a better life in America. Indentured servants were released once they had worked off their part of the deal.
Indentured servants of various ethnicities were piled onto ships with minimal care being given to address their comfort and well-being. The journey to America took anywhere from 8-12 weeks, due to the conditions of the ship and the mistreatment of the passengers many died prior to making it to the United States.
Indentured servants were treated slightly better than slaves but were still limited in freedom and had minimal rights. The indentured slaves contracts granted them living quarters but not under the best conditions. They were unable to vote, and if they desired to be married this required the permission and approval of their masters. Many of the females were raped by their masters and went unpunished for this heinous act.
Once the obligation has been completed, the agreement will then be terminated, and the servant can once again have the chance for a more liberal life. Some servants will even receive a monetary incentive known as “freedom dues” upon the completion of their service. Thereafter they are now regarded as free members of the society. In this connection, they are already entitled with the right to own real estate or properties. They can also find themselves a noteworthy job and even cast a vote. However, there are some instances wherein their services are extended by their masters because of an infraction to the agreement such as when they have violated some of
