Topic 2.6 Slavery in the British Colonies

indentured servants

• servants who would work under contract, usually four to seven years, with a master or landowner who paid for their passage

• servants were under the absolute rule of their masters and gained their freedom by the end of their contract

headright system

• attracted immigrants by offering 50 acres of land to those who paid for their own passage and to any plantation owner who paid for an immigrant’s passage

slavery

• in high demand during colonialism:

  • reduced migration

  • dependable workforce as it provided a stable labor force totally under their control

  • low-cost labor

Slave Laws

• laws regarding slavery became more severe, as children of enslaved parents would now inherit their enslaved status for life

• racism and slavery became integrated into colonial society