They were meant to receive wages, a small amount of land and in some cases, promise of a return passage once their contract was over. In reality, this seldom happened, and the conditions were harsh and their wages low.
why were indentured Labourers needed? Many Indians agreed to become indentured labourers to escape the widespread poverty and famine in the 19th century. Some travelled alone; others brought their families to settle in the colonies they worked in. The demand for Indian indentured labourers increased dramatically after the abolition of slavery in 1834.
People also ask, what do you mean by indentured?
To be indentured is to be forced to work by some contract. It started out as a word for a contract between masters and apprentices. Now it describes anyone bound to work, like it or not, because of some deal. Use the adjective indentured to describe someone whos bound or attached in a legal sense.
What happens when indentured servants free?
Servants typically worked four to seven years in exchange for passage, room, board, lodging and freedom dues. While the life of an indentured servant was harsh and restrictive, it wasnt slavery. There were laws that protected some of their rights. As demands for labor grew, so did the cost of indentured servants.