where did the labor force of the colonies come from
Indentured servitude
Between one - half and two - thirds of white immigrants to the American colonies between the 1630s and American Revolution had come under indentures . However , while almost half the European immigrants to the Thirteen Colonies were indentured servants , at any one time they were outnumbered by workers who had never been indentured , or whose indenture had expired , and thus free wage labor was the more prevalent for Europeans in the colonies . Indentured people were numerically important mostly in the region from Virginia north to New Jersey . Other colonies saw far fewer of them . The total number of European immigrants to all 13 colonies before 1775 was about 500,000 ; of these 55,000 were involuntary prisoners . Of the 450,000 or so European arrivals who came voluntarily , Tomlins estimates that 48 % were indentured . About 75 % of these were under the age of 25 . The age of adulthood for men was 24 years ( not 21 ) ; those over 24 generally came on contracts lasting about 3 years . Regarding the children who came , Gary Nash reports that `` many of the servants were actually nephews , nieces , cousins and children of friends of emigrating Englishmen , who paid their passage in return for their labor once in America . '' 
Between one - half and two - thirds of white immigrants to the American colonies between the 1630s and American Revolution had come under indentures . However , while almost half the European immigrants to the Thirteen Colonies were indentured servants , at any one time they were outnumbered by workers who had never been indentured , or whose indenture had expired , and thus free wage labor was the more prevalent for Europeans in the colonies . Indentured people were numerically important mostly in the region from Virginia north to New Jersey . Other colonies saw far fewer of them . The total number of European immigrants to all 13 colonies before 1775 was about 500,000 ; of these 55,000 were involuntary prisoners . Of the 450,000 or so European arrivals who came voluntarily , Tomlins estimates that 48 % were indentured . About 75 % of these were under the age of 25 . The age of adulthood for men was 24 years ( not 21 ) ; those over 24 generally came on contracts lasting about 3 years . Regarding the children who came , Gary Nash reports that `` many of the servants were actually nephews , nieces , cousins and children of friends of emigrating Englishmen , who paid their passage in return for their labor once in America . ''
While almost half the European immigrants to the Thirteen Colonies were indentured servants , at any one time they were outnumbered by workers who had never been indentured , or whose indenture had expired , and thus free wage labor was the more prevalent for Europeans in the colonies . Regarding the children who came , Gary Nash reports that `` many of the servants were actually nephews , nieces , cousins and children of friends of emigrating Englishmen , who paid their passage in return for their labor once in America . ''
However , while almost half the European immigrants to the Thirteen Colonies were indentured servants , at any one time they were outnumbered by workers who had never been indentured , or whose indenture had expired , and thus free wage labor was the more prevalent for Europeans in the colonies . Regarding the children who came , Gary Nash reports that `` many of the servants were actually nephews , nieces , cousins and children of friends of emigrating Englishmen , who paid their passage in return for their labor once in America . ''