Servitude in the 18th‐century British Atlantic World: Old Paradigms and New Directions

Abstract

AbstractRecognizing that the increasing reliance on racial slavery in the 18th century led to a reduction of temporary servitude, historians have understandably emphasized the declining significance of servants in colonial societies. Yet temporary servitude persisted throughout the British Atlantic World into the late 18th century, shaping the lives of tens of thousands of individuals and affecting a large number of colonial households. “Unfreedom” came in many forms. Servants – including indentured servants, convict servants, and redemptioners – have garnered scholarly attention at various points during the 20th century, and even earlier, often in isolation from one another. This essay presents existing scholarship and suggests new avenues of research in the study of servitude in 18th‐century British America. It urges scholars to move beyond demographic and economic questions to explore the social, legal, and personal histories of 18th‐century servants in slave societies, using the scholarship on the 17th century and on non‐plantation societies as models.