Explain The Unjust Treatment Of Indentured Servants In The 17th Century

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The Unjust Treatment of Indentured Servants and Slaves in the 17th Century Life as an indentured servant or slave during the 17th century was probably the most devastating situation to be in. During the 17th century, the unjust treatment of indentured servants and slaves was a crucial and reoccurring theme within the readings done for this class. Both indentured servants and slaves during this time were restricted by many cruel laws and various laws were made to extend their serving time, and they were also often put in front of life and death situations. In “The Experiences of an Indentured Servant, 1623”, in which is a letter written by Richard Frethorne, living in Martin’s Hundred at the time, he describes the harsh conditions he was striving through and how the servants were crying and lived in so much fear throughout the days that they would not hesitate to lose their limbs in order to gain their freedom and return to England (Frethorne, 1). The indentured servants lived in immense fear and faced death every single day due to their opposing enemies and widely spreading illnesses. The circumstances were so devastating that they would rather have their limbs loss than to continue living in the New World. During this time diseases and illnesses brought to the New World by Europeans were widely spreading and killing people by large numbers, and these indentured servants, including Richard Frethorne were treated horribly and even when they were sick. When were ill, they