Final answer:
British and Dutch plantation owners initially used indentured servants to replace enslaved workers; however, due to various challenges and the growing demand for labor, they later turned to the enslavement of Africans. Option A is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The British and Dutch plantation owners used indentured servants to replace enslaved workers. These indentured servants were European immigrants who agreed to work for a set period, typically four to seven years, in exchange for transportation to the colony and the opportunity for a new life thereafter. Despite escalating labor demands which eventually led to a transition towards African slavery, indentured servitude was an early form of labor in the American colonies, especially before slavery became institutionalized. In cases where indentured servitude proved insufficient, particularly given the high death rates among European workers due to diseases and the harsh working conditions, plantation owners turned to the forced labor of enslaved Africans, who were deemed better suited for the arduous work and could be enslaved for life, ensuring a constant labor supply for the plantations.
The transition from indentured servitude to African slavery marked a significant shift in the labor dynamics of the American colonies. Indentured servants, despite their initial role, faced challenges such as disease and harsh conditions. The switch to enslaved Africans, considered more resilient, established a lasting and tragic system that shaped the course of American history. The exploitation of African labor, lasting beyond the initial terms of indenture, became a cornerstone of the plantation economy, contributing to the entrenched racial hierarchy and systemic inequality that persisted for centuries.