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The colonies had two types of society classes. A form of Aristocracy, which was modeled after those in England, and refers to the upper class or privileged class of society. The other class was the Indentured Servants, which included the poor, either White or Black.

Temporary servitude was one of the means by which poor Europeans could come to America. In return for the ship passage they would sign a contract, or indenture, agreeing to work without pay for a specific period of time, usually three to five years. there was no social stigma attached to this type of servitude. Moreover, indentured servants had specific legal rights that could be enforced in court.

When an indentured servant's time was up, he or she entered into American society with full legal rights. Upon becoming free, servants were entitled to "freedom dues." These included a suit of clothes, farming tools, and in some colonies, 50 acres of land.

Nearly a third of the Europeans who came to America before the Revolutionary War, paid for their transport with temporary bondage. However, the issue of Black slaves would slow down the indentured servant process.

This was because and indentured servant would eventually be free. Whereas a Black slave was property, and it was cheaper in the end to own a Black Slave, than to have an indentured servant working for you.

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15y ago

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