Why Did Colonial Masters First Adopt the Institution of Indentured

question 86

Essay

Why did colonial masters first adopt the institution of indentured servitude rather than Indian or black slavery to meet their demands for labor? Why,then,did black slavery replace indentured servitude? How did race and racism come to shape slavery?

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Definitions:

Abolishment of Slavery

The formal termination of the legal status of slavery, often achieved through legislative acts.

Founding Documents

Historic texts or writings that outline the foundational principles and laws of a nation or organization, such as the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

Manifest Destiny

Phrase first used in 1845 to urge annexation of Texas; used thereafter to encourage American settlement of European colonial and Indian lands in the Great Plains and the West and, more generally, as a justification for American empire.

Economic Depression

A severe and prolonged downturn in economic activity characterized by significant decline in GDP, high unemployment, low spending, and deflation.