How did slavery change through the colonial years?

During the colonial years, slavery evolved from a relatively flexible system of indentured servitude to a rigid, racially-based institution. Initially, many laborers were European indentured servants who worked for a set period, but as the demand for labor grew, particularly in cash crop agriculture, enslaved Africans became the dominant source of labor. Laws increasingly codified racial distinctions and stripped enslaved people of rights, entrenching a system that justified and perpetuated their subjugation. By the late colonial period, slavery had become an integral part of the economic and social fabric of the colonies, particularly in the southern regions.