Approximately 150,000 men and women became indentured servants in Virginia during the 17th century due to labor shortages in the colonies, driven by the growing demand for tobacco cultivation. Many sought passage to America as a means to escape poverty or seek better opportunities, and indentured servitude offered a way to secure their journey in exchange for several years of labor. This system allowed planters to acquire cheap labor while providing indentured servants with the potential for land and freedom after their contracts ended.
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