Slaves

These were people who were captured and taken from their homeland. Many came from Africa. They were brought to other lands against their will and forced to do labor for no pay. If a slave didn't do what was expected of them, they were beaten by an overseer.

A slave was a person owned by another person. The slaves on a whole were not educated because they existed only to work. If they tried to run away, they could be killed if they were caught.

When the slaves went to rest, their houses were often cramped, wet, and open to the elements. Most slaves in Louisiana, where conditions were particularly harsh, died before they turned 30.

Indentured

These were people who had life slightly better than slaves, but not much better. An indentured person was a person who made a contract to work for a certain amount of time...