Primary Source Reflection – Week 3

For our third primary source reflection, I want you to focus on reading n. 19 from our READER, “Complaint of an Indentured Servant (1756).”

What exactly was an indentured servant, and how did this system fit into the social structure of the colonies in the middle of the 18th century? How was the status of an indentured servant different from that of a slave? How did these two phenomenon overlap? What does the use of indentured servants – and this system in general – tell you about the perspectives of the upper class in this period?

Everyone has been doing well on these source reflections, so I really look forward to reading your responses to this one! As always, you don’t have to answer all of my questions above, and I really want to see how you tie this reading into our other readings (such as from the textbook)!