Indentured servants were gifted freedom after a number of years. Indentured servants chose to work for someone. Slaves were forced to work for someone and could've been kidnapped from their homes and were brought to work. Slaves were never granted freedom and had to escape to be able to get away from working. Indentured servants usually worked to pay off a travelling debt and once it was paid off they were granted freedom and were sometimes given a piece of land to live on while slaves were not granted anything.