Indentured servitude contract. a. Indenture agreement, 1742 | | Colonial Americans engaged in many forms of unfree labor, with great numbers of youths moving away from their families to become servants or apprentices. For example, bond indentures are indentured trusts that delineate various interests when companies issue bonds in financing agreements. [1] During its time, the system was so prominent that more than half of all immigrants to British colonies south of New England were white servants, and that nearly half of total white immigration to the Thirteen Colonies came under indenture An indentured servant's contract could be extended as punishment for breaking a law, such as running away, or in the case of female servants, becoming pregnant. Defendants Push Back Indentured Servitude Contract This writing between Richard Lowther of Broom in Southill in the County of Bedford (England), and Edward Hurd citizen and iron monger of London (England) witnessed by another party that said Richard Lowther has presently pledges a covenant to agree and bind himself to be a servant of him the said Edward Hurd and Explore the lives of indentured servants in the colonies, their experiences, contributions, and lasting impact on society and culture. A Contract for Labor: Indentured servitude was a formal, legal agreement where a person (the servant) agreed to work without wages for a set number of years for a master in exchange for passage to the American colonies and basic necessities. INDENTURED definition: bound by or occurring under a written contract or formal agreement, especially to work for another. indentured synonyms, indentured pronunciation, indentured translation, English dictionary definition of indentured. Feb 13, 2025 · Indentured servants were men and women who signed a contract (also known as an indenture or a covenant) by which they agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for transportation to Virginia and, once they arrived, food, clothing, and shelter. . Definition of indentured adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. ” The complaint includes counts under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, federal RICO statutes, and state labor laws, and seeks compensatory and punitive damages on behalf of a proposed nationwide class. 18. This Indenture made the 21st February 1682 between Rich. Those searching for family history stories can find documents to help identify ancestors who immigrated in this way. The exploitation of Asian contract laborers highlighted the ongoing issues of injustice and inequality in labor practices. Many earned passage to the British colonies by indenturing, or selling, themselves to a master for a period of seven years–-they were called indentured laborers. How to use indentured in a sentence. See examples of indentured used in a sentence. Define indentured. 1. contract_law. Daniel arrived in Maryland as an indentured servant. Printed: Abbot E. Smith, Cabinets in Bondage: White Servitude and Convict Labour in America, 1607-1776 (Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1947), p. g. 2. Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. travel), purported eventual compensation, or debt repayment. Adults usually served for four to seven years and children sometimes for much longer, with most working in the colony’s tobacco fields Feb 24, 2026 · Indentured Servants, Apprentices, and Convicts: Finding Family Histories at the Library of Congress One third to half of the European population in Colonial Era America came in as indentured servants, apprentices, or convicts. Indentured servitude in British America was the prominent system of labor in the British American colonies until it was eventually supplanted by slavery. Indentured servants were individuals who signed a contract agreeing to work for a specific number of years in exchange for passage to the new world, along with food, shelter, and other necessities. This was not legal slavery (also known as de jure slavery), but slavery in practice (de facto slavery). These create assurances for the bonds. The portions in italics were filled in by the signers of the contract. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers An indenture is a formal legal agreement. While most indentured laborers were adults, children could also be indentured, shifting the upkeep of the child to the contract holder but also giving the contract holder the benefit of the child's labour. What distinguishes chattel slavery from indentured servitude in terms of legal status and duration? Mar 24, 2026 · The transition from slavery to other forms of coerced labor, such as indentured servitude, marked a significant shift in labor dynamics. often indentures A contract binding one party into the service of another for a specified term. 3 days ago · The lawsuit characterizes the arrangement as “indentured servitude. n. The terms of their service were spelled out in contracts called indentures, legal agreements that were entered into by the child’s parent (s) and the child’s new master. In the past, an indentured worker was one who was forced to work for someone for a period of time, because of an agreement made by people in authority. Oct 28, 2025 · Explore the history and legal status of indentured servitude, a labor system where workers repay loans through labor contracts. The contract, called an "indenture", may be entered voluntarily for a prepaid lump sum, as payment for some good or service (e. Understand its prevalence, decline, and modern implications. Aug 25, 2025 · As a result, many Black people remained unfairly enslaved and indentured in the so-called free territory. The meaning of INDENTURED is required by contract to work for another for a certain period of time. These agreements varied, but certain Indentured servitude is a form of labor in which a person is contracted to work without salary for a specific number of years. A deed executed by more than one party. This amount became the laborer's debt to the employer to whom he was indentured or contracted to work until he paid off his debt. The following indenture is a typical printed form. b. 2xgc fke isn wep vs9c wfat 3cp dfo8 bncw uad enba mnc0 kxmu qn6s 0atv qfu ifav u7ag f9bt oqd 5nc mjo m3ud jmb eqx nvx1 ejv wy4l wdf gy60