Indentured Servitude

Definition

Indentured servitude was a labor system in which individuals, known as indentured servants, agreed to work for a specific period of time (usually 4-7 years) in exchange for their passage to America and other benefits. They were typically poor Europeans seeking economic opportunities.

Analogy

Think of indentured servitude like borrowing money from a friend. You agree to work for them for a certain period of time to pay off your debt, but once it's paid, you're free to go.

Related terms

Triangular Trade: The triangular trade was a system that involved the exchange of goods and enslaved people between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Middle Passage: The Middle Passage refers to the brutal journey across the Atlantic Ocean that enslaved Africans endured on slave ships.

Plantation System: The plantation system was an agricultural production method where large plantations used enslaved laborers to cultivate cash crops such as tobacco, sugar, and cotton.