America: The Land of Opportunity? Since its existence, America was given the slogan “The land of opportunity”. It is believed that anyone and everyone who comes to America to set up a new life will be prosperous, successful and happy. Although this statement is false, it is not completely false. It is possible to take advantage of the opportunities America has to offer, but it all depends on who one is and what circumstances he or she comes from. Between 1492 and 1800, hundreds of thousand of people were settling in America all in search for same same thing: opportunity. As America promised, opportunity was given to some people, but the amount of people who were not given opportunity during these times is truly astonishing, and will make one
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Many factors contributed to the success for white settlers in America, but the one factor that contributed to a majority of the success was the vast amount of land claimed and used by the settlers. The land was mainly used to plant tobacco as this was the cash crop of colonial America. The land settled grew and became so vast and the tobacco market grew so much that the farmers needed farmhand and helpers to contribute to the farming. Soon after the first settlement, a system to help farmers with farming was invented. This system was called indentured servitude. The idea of indentured servitude was born of a need for cheap labor. Settlers would pay for indentured servants to make the trip across the Atlantic and if they successfully made the trip, the settlers would receive fifty acres of land per passage paid as a reward. With passage to the Colonies expensive for all but the wealthy, the wealthy white settlers created the system of indentured servitude to attract workers to come to America. Typical indentured servitude contracts lasted four to seven years. If the servants were able to work and outlive their contracts, which they rarely were able to, they would receive freedom dues, which usually consisted of land and occasionally currency compensation. The life of an indentured servant was harsh and restrictive. There were laws that protected some of their rights, but their lives were not valued, and punishments were usually harsh. 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. Besides extra help, the main purpose for indentured servitude was to give servants the illusion that America was the land of opportunity. Servants would realize the potential America had, travel over, live a miserable life as a servant
Many factors contributed to the success for white settlers in America, but the one factor that contributed to a majority of the success was the vast amount of land claimed and used by the settlers. The land was mainly used to plant tobacco as this was the cash crop of colonial America. The land settled grew and became so vast and the tobacco market grew so much that the farmers needed farmhand and helpers to contribute to the farming. Soon after the first settlement, a system to help farmers with farming was invented. This system was called indentured servitude. The idea of indentured servitude was born of a need for cheap labor. Settlers would pay for indentured servants to make the trip across the Atlantic and if they successfully made the trip, the settlers would receive fifty acres of land per passage paid as a reward. With passage to the Colonies expensive for all but the wealthy, the wealthy white settlers created the system of indentured servitude to attract workers to come to America. Typical indentured servitude contracts lasted four to seven years. If the servants were able to work and outlive their contracts, which they rarely were able to, they would receive freedom dues, which usually consisted of land and occasionally currency compensation. The life of an indentured servant was harsh and restrictive. There were laws that protected some of their rights, but their lives were not valued, and punishments were usually harsh. 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. Besides extra help, the main purpose for indentured servitude was to give servants the illusion that America was the land of opportunity. Servants would realize the potential America had, travel over, live a miserable life as a servant