Why were indentured servants called?
Indentured servants were men and women who signed a contract (also known as an indenture or a covenant) by which they agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for transportation to Virginia and, once they arrived, food, clothing, and shelter.
Who were some famous indentured servants?
Only two indentured servants are known to have worked at Monticello while under the terms of their indentures (Thomas Walker and William Rice). Two other men worked for Thomas Jefferson after completion of their contracted service (Antonio Giannini and Giovannini da Prato).
What were indentured servants Apush?
People who could not afford passage to the colonies could become indentured servants. Another person would pay their passage, and in exchange, the indentured servant would serve that person for a set length of time (usually seven years) and then would be free.
How were indentured servants different?
Indentured servitude differed from slavery in that it was a form of debt bondage, meaning it was an agreed upon term of unpaid labor that usually paid off the costs of the servant’s immigration to America. Indentured servants were not paid wages but they were generally housed, clothed, and fed.
What were the benefits of becoming an indentured servant?
Upon completion of the contract, the servant would receive “freedom dues,” a pre-arranged termination bonus. This might include land, money, a gun, clothes or food. On the surface it seemed like a terrific way for the luckless English poor to make their way to prosperity in a new land.
What best describes an indentured servant?
Indentured servitude refers to a contract between two individuals, in which one person worked not for money but to repay an indenture, or loan, within a set time period. Indentured servitude was not slavery as individuals entered contracts of their own free will.
Could indentured servants marry?
Indentured servants could not marry without the permission of their master, were sometimes subject to physical punishment and did not receive legal favor from the courts. Female indentured servants in particular might be raped and/or sexually abused by their masters.
What is the significance of chattel slavery?
Chattel slavery is the most common form of slavery known to Americans. This system, which allowed people — considered legal property — to be bought, sold and owned forever, was lawful and supported by the United States and European powers from the 16th – 18th centuries.
Why were indentured servants necessary in Virginia?
Why were indentured servants necessary in Virginia? Indentured servants were necessary because they needed a lot of help on the ships and in the farms so they can pay for their trip.
Why were indentured servants preferred over slaves?
Slavery had been used for thousands of years prior to the use of African slaves in colonial America. Although the English later used racism to justify the enslavement of Africans, the main reason slaves became the main labor force was because slaves were a better financial option than indentured servants.
What was the difference between indentured servants and slaves?
Answers. An indentured servant, unlike a slave, is someone who owes their owner money and is working to repay their debt, an indentured servant is paid unlike slaves and therefore are not slave, even though the conditions for both slaves and indentured servants are poor, most indentured servants were white as Africans would be sold off…
What are some examples of indentured servants?
Examples Young men and women, those from Britain and Germany, below 21 years of age, were brought to Colonial America as indentured servants. Labor employed on huge tracts of land consisted mostly of indentured servants. Some individuals were kidnapped and transported to the American colonies. Peter Williamson originally belonged to Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
What were some jobs of indentured servants?
Some of the male indentured servants were highly skilled laborers, holding such jobs as bricklayer, joiner, plasterer, cook, clerk, gardener, coachman, butcher, blacksmith, and musician. Female indentured servants performed domestic chores like laundry, sewing, and housekeeping. Children also were indentured.