Final answer:
Indentured servants were individuals who worked under contract for a fixed term in Colonial America, often to repay their ocean passage, and were granted 'freedom dues' upon service completion. Unlike slaves, their servitude was temporary, and they retained some rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Indentured servants in Colonial America were poor individuals who agreed to work for a period typically less than seven years, usually to repay someone who paid for their ocean passage to the American colonies. These individuals signed contracts known as indentures and in return, received essential provisions such as food, clothing, and lodging. Upon the completion of their service, they were often granted 'freedom dues,' which could include land and other supplies, that enabled them to start a new life in the colonies. These servants, who were mostly English and European, retained their free-born status, and although they lacked social standing and often worked in harsh conditions, their servitude was not a lifetime commitment like slavery. As the demand for labor grew, the reliance on indentured servants in the South was gradually supplanted by African slavery, which was characterized by permanent servitude and racial discrimination.