People were ready to leave Europe due to the economic depression that followed the Thirty Years' War, and the colonies were an excellent and attractive place for people to migrate to, for the poor and rice alike. Generally, only the very wealthy were able to afford this passage. When people began settling in the American Colonies, they had access to much more land than was available in England. With all this land came the need to find people to work it. The solution that arose was indentured servitude. This allowed indentured servants to exchange passage, lodging, board, and eventual freedom for four to seven years of servitude. This system accounts for 1/2-2/3 of all of the immigrants that arrived in The New World.
While indentured servants did have some of their rights protected, they were harshly punished for misdeeds and their service contract could be extended for breaking the rules. These contracts often included land, arms, livestock, and crops, so for some, the period of service was worth it.
The rise/phenomenon of indentured servants in America has at least two basis in fact. One is that the beginnings of the industrial revolution were taking place in Europe and thus many people who were share farmers at home were put off their land and out of their houses. Thus being unemployed, hungry and having no support (no welfare) they had to fend for themselves. This meant theft, prostitution and other forms of crime spiked. Thus the churches (who were overwhelmed by the numbers) could not help all those in need. So also were the jails being over run and the wealthy/politicians were being put on to find a solution.
Thus the development of the indentured servants began. There was a huge need in the colonies for workers and few people were interested in going. It was easier for the magistrates, police and churches to round up the 'people on the street' and to send them off to 'a better life' overseas. At the same time these officials would get a kickback for every person they put onto the boats. The corporations running the boats also got a huge kickback; for each new settler arriving in the new world, they would be entitled to over 6 acres of property (this varied over time and location)- but as these corporations had provided the transit they claimed all the land. Thus being able to accumulate vast tracts of land these same corporations needed more people to work it. These same people became the establishment the ones who set the laws, ran the communities and thus controlled how the indentured servants were treated.
Thus abuse of power became rampant. What were to be 5 to 7 year terms of indenture were often extended to 15 to 20 years for something as simple as talking back to the landowner, taking a wife or having a child without the landowners permission. Running away or making any demands also met with even more harsh judgments. While the indentured servant was supposed to be able to 'work their way to freedom' little to no wages, being over charged for housing and food, as well as for clothing would make their ability to buy their freedom an impossibility. Not only that but even with freedom they would never be given their grant of land, would not be accepted members of the community and would have to purchase an overpriced plot of land if they wanted to farm.
So while technically indentured servants were different than slaves, the differences were often a matter of degree rather than as a totally different direction. Being beaten is being beaten, it was arguably being done as hard and as viciously on both.
WHITE CARGO; THE FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF BRITAIN'S WHITE SLAVES IN AMERICA
DON JORDAN and MICHAEL WALSH 2007
First, indentured servitude was essentially a contract of cheap labor between a worker and a colonist. As the colonies grew in North America, so did the vast amount of land controlled by the various land companies. This land became too much to handle with the small population in early colonial America. Simultaneously, a dragging economy in Europe caused high unemployment and left many workers jobless. Combine that with the new era of traveling to America, and the opportunity arose to work yourself into the colonies.
The life of an indentured servant was not as harsh as that of the slave, but it was not an easy agreement either. They were typically overworked and treated severely with any wrongdoings. However, the prize for indentured servants was their eventual freedom. Moreover, once freed, the indentured servant was also given a parcel of land and food in many cases. The colonists had no right of ownership once the contract had expired. Thus, they couldn't simply refuse to give the indentured servant his or her freedom. The contract usually spelled out the length of time they would work, the provisions during the work, and the amenities awarded to them after the contract expired.
http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/indentured-servants-in-the-us/
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