Indentured Servants

Raising tobacco was very hard work. The colonists needed help. They needed more people. They looked to England for help and posted signs like these:

Copyright 1983 Commonwealth Studies Program, Virginia Department of Education

There were many poor people in England at the time, and when they heard the news that they could be given free land and fares to the colonies in exchange for 7 years of work-many signed up. This idea was so popular that most people came to Virginia as an indentured servants.

The Beginning of Slavery

In 1619, slavery was established. It began when there was a shortage of Englishmen to work in the tobacco fields. The masters of the tobacco crops decided to take captives from Africa instead.

The masters became very wealthy because they didn't have to pay for their labor. The children of the African captives became known as what we refer to today as slaves.

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