Various History Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Various History Questions - Essay Example Passage into the American colonies during the period of colonization was only possible for the wealthy, and this prevented those from the lower economic rungs from booking passage into the colonies. In order to entice potential laborers into the colonies, the system of indentured servitude was conceptualized; and soon after, these individuals became an integral part of the colonial economy (PBS, 2011). An indentured servant’s life would come about due to skilled and unskilled laborers finding themselves without work. Due to the necessity of finding any type of work to support themselves and their families, indentured servitude came about. There are various advantages and disadvantages to this practice. It is advantageous because it provides immediate economic relief to jobless laborers (PBS, 2011). In effect, it gives them the opportunity to gain employment, even with their salaries being less than ideal for them and their families. It is a preferable choice for them as compar ed to their unemployed status, to which they credit more undefined hardships. Disadvantages to this practice are however also apparent. For one, it is a practice open to abuse because employers are paying these laborers less than what they deserve. Although the laborers are indeed able to fill in their temporary needs; in the long-run, they are not getting what they fairly deserve for their labors. Consequently, they are enriching employers who are only after their cheap labor and hard work. This is a practice which can be considered the precedent for slavery, and in the years which followed the transport of Black Africans to America and the British Empire, slavery eventually found its unfortunate place. But there is no denying the travails that these indentured servants went through with their work and accommodations being less than ideal; they were also treated harshly for their wrongdoings (PBS, 2011). These laborers also had difficulty in eventually gaining freedom from their se rvitude; however, it was still a better deal than the conditions seen among slaves who were not given the right to be free of their slavery. 2. How did life in the British colonies contribute to creating a unique American identity? How do you see that identity manifested in modern American society? The life in the British colonies contributed in creating a unique American identity. Originally, the colonies were fashioned by ideas of prosperity, literacy, and improvements in religion and thought (Teacher Web, n.d). Land ownership in the colonies was also seen as a means of becoming wealthy. In turn, wealth was seen as part of one’s social status, and the colonies were in the middle of these ranks. Land ownership was also associated with the right to vote, hence, land ownership was a highly sought privilege. It motivated many men to work hard and to seek improved lifestyles for themselves and their families (Teacher Web, n.d). The colonists felt united as Americans before the s tart of the revolution; however, they had a longer time in gaining their identity as a people. They were also highly suspicious of each other, and this caused delays in their identity as colonials. However, these delays were eventually resolved as they started to preserve their rights and to express actions seeking to gain their independence from Britain. It was important for them to put aside their differences, unite against