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A majority of the early English migrants to the Chesapeake Bay area were (A) fa...

Oct 9, 2023

A majority of the early English migrants to the Chesapeake Bay area were (A) families with young children (B) indentured servants (C) wealthy gentlemen (D) merchants and craftsmen (E) disfranchisedCatholics

Key Concept

KC-2.1.II.B: The Chesapeake and North Carolina colonies grew prosperous exporting tobacco—a labor-intensive product initially cultivated by white, mostly male indentured servants and later by enslaved Africans.

Explanation

The majority of the early English migrants to the Chesapeake Bay area were indentured servants. These were individuals who agreed to a fixed term of unpaid labor in exchange for passage to the New World. The Chesapeake colonies, particularly Virginia and Maryland, had a high demand for labor due to the cultivation of tobacco, a labor-intensive crop. As a result, many indentured servants were brought over to work on the tobacco plantations.

Who were the early English migrants to the Chesapeake Bay area?, What was the role of indentured servants in the Chesapeake colonies?, Why was there a high demand for labor in the Chesapeake colonies?