Final answer:
Slaves were different from indentured servants as they were considered property with no control over their labor. The transition from indentured servitude to slavery happened over time as the demand for labor grew and indentured servants were replaced by enslaved Africans. By the seventeenth century, slavery was widespread in North America.
Step-by-step explanation:
Slavery is different from indentured servitude. While indentured servants agreed to work for a set period of time, usually less than seven years, in return for necessities like food and shelter, slaves were considered property and had no control over their labor or well-being. The transformation from indentured servitude to slavery happened over time as the demand for labor in the Americas exceeded the supply of indentured servants, leading to the establishment of permanent and hereditary slavery.
This transition from indentured servitude to slavery was due to a combination of factors, including the specific labor requirements of crops like tobacco, rice, and indigo in the Southern colonies. As the demand for labor increased, indentured servants began to be replaced by enslaved Africans who were taken through the transatlantic slave trade. By the seventeenth century, the institution of slavery became widespread in North America, particularly in the South, and indentured servants were no longer considered slaves.