Curated OER
Comparing SLaves and Servants in Colonial New York
Young historians compare and contrast differences in the laws that regulated the activities of slaves and servants. They review and analyze a series of primary source documents to explain the social constructs related to slaves and...
Curated OER
Daily Life in Virginia
Students explore colonization in North America. In this United States history lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation about indentured servants and slave labor, then construct a related Venn diagram. Students answer questions...
Curated OER
Early Colonial Labor Force: Indentured Servants and Slaves
Students study the labor force used during Colonial America. In this Colonial America lesson, students discuss labor types used in the colonies. Students read about indentured servants and the use of African slaves. Students use the...
Curated OER
A Comparison of Indentured Servants and Slaves
Sixth graders examine and compare the lives of slaves and indentured servants using primary sources and the historical fiction books, "Molly Bannaky and Barefoot." They analyze and compare advertisements for runaway slaves. Students...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Settlers, Slaves and Servants
Men and women with little active interest in a new life in America were often induced to make the move to the New World by the skillful persuasion of promoters. William Penn, for example, publicized the opportunities awaiting newcomers...
Digital History
Digital History: Explorations: Indentured Servitude and Slavery
South of New England, half of all immigrants arrived in various forms of unfreedom: as indentured servants, apprentices, tenants, convicts, or slaves. George Washington's namesake--a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses named George...
University of Virginia
Virginia Center for Digital History: The Geography of Slavery in Virginia
A digital collection of advertisements for runaway and captured slaves in the period before the American Civil War. In addition, there are historical documents related to slavery. Gives the option of browsing or doing a detailed search....
Henry J. Sage
Sage American History: The Colonial People at Work
Overview of Colonial work structure in the Thirteen Colonies. The author describes the hierarchy of the labor force and discusses the introduction of slaves. Links to primary source material.
Other
Virtual Jamestown: The Practice of Slavery: Selected Virginia Records
This site provides the original text from colonial Virginia concerning council and court records on slave issues such as the laws concerning runaways, their punishments, deeds of ownership for specific slaves, etc.
Other
Virtual Jamestown: Laws on Slavery
This site provides the original text of Virginia colonial laws concerning different aspects of slavery for Africans, Native Americans, and indentured servants.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Hampton Historical Site: Lives of Indentured Servants
A comprehensive article from Maryland Historical Magazine written about the indentured servants, particularly those in Hampton, Maryland.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Servitude, American Beginnings: 1492 1690
Two examples of indenture contracts and three accounts of indentured servitude, including positive as well as admonitory views, in the Chesapeake English colonies.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: The Colonial Period
The early settlers to the New World began to map strategy for their own system of government. This site details that strategy and what kinds of events spawned the idea of representative government.
Library of Congress
Loc: American Memory Timeline: Colonial Settlement,1600s 1763
Read about the colonization in the New World by many European countries. Hyperlinks to you to more specific topics.
Library of Congress
Loc: John Bull and Uncle Sam
Part of an exhibit that talks about the British exploration and settlement of America.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Settlers, Slaves and Servants
This resource provides a brief overview of how many settlers in the colonies were indentured servants and how the system of indentured servitude tied to slavery.
Digital History
Digital History: The Origins of New World Slavery
Read about the initial slow introduction of slave labor into the colonies, which accelerated because of the slaves' knowledge of growing crops, and the decline in the institution of indentured servitude.
Digital History
Digital History: Slavery in Colonial America
A very interesting look at slaves and free blacks in colonial America, especially in the South, up to about 1660. See how the concept of slavery and the use of slaves was fluid until that time.
Digital History
Digital History: European Colonization North of Mexico
Although settlements by other northern European countries are mentioned, the primary focus of this article is on English settlements and the types of immigrants who came to the New World from England.
Digital History
Digital History: Life in Early Virginia
A good description of the use of indentured servants in early Jamestown as a labor force to cultivate tobacco, the cash crop that saved the colony.
PBS
Africans in America: Revolution: 1750 1805
Part of a detailed PBS site which describes "the history of racial slavery in the United States, this section focuses on slavery from 1750-1805.
Other
Teaching Tennessee History: Lesson Plans for the Classroom Volume X [Pdf]
These lesson plans are designed to integrate language arts and primary sources into elementary social studies instruction.
Other
Virtual Jamestown: Laws on Indentured Servants
A list of laws and legal opinions from 17th-century colonial Virginia concerning indentured servants.
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
History Is Fun: Tobacco and Labor [Pdf]
A clear explanation of the system of indentured servitude that supplied Virginia tobacco plantations with the labor force they needed in order to manage their crops. Explains how such servants were able to earn their own land, and how...