Final answer:
Planters preferred enslaved labor over indentured servants due to economic efficiency and the desire for a reliable and permanent labor source. High mortality rates among Europeans and restrictive laws concerning indentured servant treatment further pushed planters toward slave labor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary reason why planters came to prefer enslaved labor over indentured labor can be attributed to economic efficiency and reliability. Indentured servants were contracted for limited terms, and upon completion of their service, they would gain their freedom, which meant planters had to continually seek new workers. In contrast, enslaved Africans were considered a more permanent solution as they could be forced to work for life without any legal rights, ensuring a continuous labor supply. Diseases like malaria and yellow fever also led to high death rates among Europeans, making African slaves, who were believed to be more resilient to such conditions, the preferred workforce.
Furthermore, certain laws made it less desirable to employ indentured servants. For instance, a French law passed in 1664 placed restrictions on the mistreatment of these servants. As a result, plantation owners turned to slave labor, which allowed them to exert more control over their workers. Additionally, the children of enslaved people also became property of the slave owners, further solidifying a permanent labor force. This intersection of racially based slavery and capitalist agricultural pursuits in the New World perpetually altered the traditional systems of labor.