What was a headright?

Answer 1

A headright was a legal right granted to colonists in the British colonies of North America during the 17th and 18th centuries. Under the headright system, land was granted to settlers who paid their own passage or the passage of others to the colonies. Each headright entitled the grantee to a certain amount of land, typically 50 acres. This system was intended to encourage the settlement and colonization of the British colonies by attracting more immigrants. Headrights were a form of land grant and were instrumental in the formation and expansion of English colonies in North America.