Which was true concerning indentured servants during the colonial period?
D. Most were from lower social classes and much poorer than other immigrants. Just the fact they were INDENTURED on the contract shows they were mostly ILLITERATE PEASANTS because the contract was written up by the person paying for the passage, laying out the terms of the contract and the time of servitude and it was written in 2 places… top and bottom… then a JAGGED LINE which was called AN INDENTURE was drawn randomly across the page. After both parties signed both the top and bottom of the document (or made their “X”), then the contract was CUT ALONG THE INDENTURE… the wealthy provider got one half and the servant got the other. At the end of the term of the contract, the 2 pieces were brought together and, if they matched up, then it was RECOGNIZED AT LAW as being legal and the terms of the contract had been complied with.. the servant was free to move on.
