Letter from an Indentured Servant (1765)

question 28

Multiple Choice

Letter from an Indentured Servant (1765)
Elizabeth Sprigs
Honored Father
My being forever banished from your sight, will I hope pardon the Boldness I now take of troubling you . . ., my long silence has been purely owning to my undutifullness to you, and . . . knowing I had offended in the highest Degree, put a tie to my tongue and pen, for fear I should be extinct from your good Graces and add a further Trouble to you, but too well knowing your care and tenderness for me so long as I retain'd my Duty to you, induced me once again to endeavor if possible, to kindle up that flame again.
O Dear Father, believe what I am going to relate the words of truth and sincerity, and Balance my former bad Conduct my sufferings here, and then I am sure you'll pity your Destress Daughter. What we unfortunate English People suffer here is beyond the probability of you in England to Conceive, let it suffice that I . . . am toiling almost Day and Night, and very often in the Horses drudgery . . . and then tied up and whipp'd to that Degree that you'd not serve an Animal, scarce anything but Indian Corn and Salt to eat and that even begrudged nay many Negroes are better used. [I am] almost naked no shoes nor stockings to wear, and the comfort after slaving during Masters pleasure, what rest we can get is to wrap ourselves up in a Blanket and ly upon the Ground.
(T) his is the deplorable Condition your poor Betty endures, and now I beg if you have any Bowels of Compassion left show it by sending me some Relief, Clothing is the principal thing wanting.
-Elizabeth Sprigs describes her experience as an indentured servant as

• A) worth the cost of her passage to North America.
• B) better than being enslaved.
• C) an important step in gaining her independence.
• D) one of deprivation.

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Definitions:

Group Prototypicality

The extent to which a member of a group represents the average or typical attributes, behaviors, or characteristics of that group.

Social Loafing

A scenario where members of a team contribute less effort to reach a target than they would if working individually.

Task Attractiveness

The degree to which an individual is drawn to or motivated by a specific task, often influenced by the nature of the task itself and the individual's personal interests.

Normative Discontinuities

Breaks or interruptions in the normative expectations or behaviors within a society or group.