Why did many landowners choose to hire indentured servants rather than purchase slaves?

Group of answer choices

Indentured servants usually did not have to learn English.

Most people had a negative view of owning slaves.

Many people could not afford to buy slaves.

Slaves did not usually live as long as indentured servants.

1 answer

Many landowners chose to hire indentured servants rather than purchase slaves primarily because many people could not afford to buy slaves. Slavery was a significant investment and often required substantial capital upfront, whereas indentured servitude allowed landowners to obtain labor without such a high initial cost. Additionally, indentured servants often worked for a set period in exchange for passage, food, and shelter, whereas slaves were considered property for life.