Indentured servitude was a labor system prevalent in the Americas during the 17th and 18th centuries, where individuals, often from Europe, agreed to work for a specified number of years in exchange for passage to the New World, shelter, and sustenance. This system was initially attractive to planters and landowners who needed a flexible workforce for labor-intensive crops like tobacco and sugar. However, it began to decline due to several factors, including the increasing availability of African slaves, who provided a more permanent and economically advantageous labor solution, and the rising costs and risks associated with indentured contracts. Additionally, as opportunities for land ownership and social mobility increased in Europe, fewer individuals were willing to subject themselves to the harsh conditions of indentured servitude in the Americas.
in a paragraph 3-5 sentneces, describe indentured servitude and the reasons for its decline in the americas.
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