I’ve heard from my brother William that you were deliberating whether or not you should come to North America as an indentured servant, but I really hope this letter changes your mind. I’ve suffered and have fought for my life since my arrival, in 1607, to Jamestown, Virginia in the Chesapeake Bay, a swampy land, full of mosquitos, with a dry and humid climate. I urge you not to come to North America because you will face mistreatment as a laborer, bad relationships with neighbors, and high mortality rates.
I arrived to the Chesapeake Bay in 1607 with about 100 other poor, lower sort, young English males through the Virginia Company, a joint stock company, charter. Unfortunately, by May of 1608 there was only about 38 surviving people; I am …show more content…
Furthermost, if a Colonists wanted to come to the Chesapeake, but didn’t have the money to pay for their trip, they could make further arrangements to come. For instance, a wealthy man could pay for they transportation, but in exchange they will lose their freedom. This meant that the person paying for poor English people’s transportation will become their master, and complete a working contract for 5-7 years as indentured servant. Men indentured servants work in plantations and fields, and would receive 50 acers of land, new clothes, tools, and seeds, once their 5-7 year contract ended. On the other hand, women indentured servants worked as domestics and, aren’t entitled to land, they are just set free, and will have to make money by finding someone they can marry. This may sound like a good proposal, but indentured servants aren’t treated fairly, they are exploited by work, and are punished by extending their labor contract if they are caught misbehaving by stealing food, running away, or got pregnant (explicit for women). In addition indentured servant masters are able to treat you any way that they like; they can rape you, exploit you, or hurt you if that’s what they wanted. Just thinking of the things they would do to you upsets me because you are such a great niece, and you don’t deserve for anyone to do any of that monstrosity to
I arrived to the Chesapeake Bay in 1607 with about 100 other poor, lower sort, young English males through the Virginia Company, a joint stock company, charter. Unfortunately, by May of 1608 there was only about 38 surviving people; I am …show more content…
Furthermost, if a Colonists wanted to come to the Chesapeake, but didn’t have the money to pay for their trip, they could make further arrangements to come. For instance, a wealthy man could pay for they transportation, but in exchange they will lose their freedom. This meant that the person paying for poor English people’s transportation will become their master, and complete a working contract for 5-7 years as indentured servant. Men indentured servants work in plantations and fields, and would receive 50 acers of land, new clothes, tools, and seeds, once their 5-7 year contract ended. On the other hand, women indentured servants worked as domestics and, aren’t entitled to land, they are just set free, and will have to make money by finding someone they can marry. This may sound like a good proposal, but indentured servants aren’t treated fairly, they are exploited by work, and are punished by extending their labor contract if they are caught misbehaving by stealing food, running away, or got pregnant (explicit for women). In addition indentured servant masters are able to treat you any way that they like; they can rape you, exploit you, or hurt you if that’s what they wanted. Just thinking of the things they would do to you upsets me because you are such a great niece, and you don’t deserve for anyone to do any of that monstrosity to