Who was eligible to the headright system?

Answer 1

The headright system primarily benefited wealthy landowners and early settlers in the American colonies, particularly in Virginia and Georgia. It granted land to individuals who could pay for their own passage to the colonies, as well as to those who sponsored the passage of others. Essentially, for each person brought over, the sponsor received a certain amount of land, encouraging the growth of plantations and settlement. Indentured servants, however, did not directly benefit from this system, as they worked off their passage rather than owning land.