In 1492 a new frontier was discover by a European explorer. This vacant and plentiful land contained endless amounts of hope for numerous Europeans who wished to flee their homes. Wanting to discover freedom for themselves and their families, immigrants came to North America to find individuality and embrace the many liberties they had hoped to secure. Unfortunately, not every person received what he or she had expected from the “land of the free”. These primary sources tell us that freedom in 18th century North America varied due to external and inherent factors such as vocational status, gender, and geographical location.
Being a laborer during the 18th century rubs up with the modern conception of forced labor; incomparable to say the least. Today, a person can choose their optimal career and receive workforce training and payment for their contributions. We have come a long way since 1718 where young men, such as William Mathews, would agree to a seven-year long apprenticeship to eventually becoming a craftsman. The contract between Mathews and his master, Thomas Windover, outlines a number of guidelines that were set in place to ensure each party would maintain their responsabilities to each other. Some rules are understandable as they uphold respect for the master such as “During all of this term, the said apprentice shall faithfully serve his said master, shall faithfully keeps his secrets, gladly obey his lawful commands everywhere” (55). Even today children are expected to respect their caregivers in addition to their elders. However, the “keep his secrets” is rather odd given that the apprenticeship is for cordwaining. If the master keeps to his responsibilities, which are to teach the young man how to make fine leather goods such as luxury boots and shoes, it doesn’t support his notation for telling his secrets to the young man. It implies that the master may expect the relationship to devolope deeper. This presumption also leads to the idea of some inappropriate behavior occurring between the master and his indentured. Other rules such as “At cards, dice, or any other unlawful game, he shall not play,” (56) seems to strip the fun and playful nature that every young man throughout has possessed. This definitely expresses the lack of freedom the indenture contracts contained. This native New Yorker was not from a line of indentured servants, but rather had to accept the fact that he would have no playing time for his next seven years. Even though the majority of Master Wendover’s rules were restrictive and harsh, the young man is promised “sufficient meat, drink, and apparel,” as well as “one quarter of schooling” (56) in the winter time. William doesn’t seem to have freedom due to his agreement, but this indentured young man is promised that one day he will complete his vocational training as a cordwiner and gain his long awaited New World Freedom.
Even though Women’s Rights are still an issue in today’s society, women have still made wide strides in gaining an astronomical amount freedom since tougher times in 1756. Elizabeth Sprigs, a female indentured servant in Maryland, appears to have been emotionally and physically abused. She describes her situation in a letter to her estranged father as she begged for any additional. She states that’s she had been “tied up and whipped to that degree that she could now serve as a animal” (60). She also discusses how she has had very little food to eat, then compares her situation to a Negroes. She feels Negroes are treated better than her. The obvious pain Elizabeth has experienced as an indentured servant, is proof of what little freedom most women had while living in North America. White indentured servants in the 18th century were allotted an amount of time they were going to serve, however very few actually reached their freedom due to death at a young age. Ms. Sprigs story is a sad and pitiful one, although it is questionable how she is allowed to write and send out letters while she has no other freedoms. A possible explanation would be that the miscarriage of justice that ruled cases like Ms. Sprigs’ describes the hushed and harsh mistreatment of women during this time. The master or owner probably wasn’t worried about word of his tortious abuse getting out because he legally owned these servants and could treat them how he saw fit. Contrary to the previous depictions of freedom, some people found the New World to be exactly what they had hoped and dreamed for. German immigrant Johannes Hanner had a similar experience of living the American dream that many immigrants often still find today. In 1769, while writing a letter to his family, Hanner expresses the love for his new home in a tightly knit farming community in Pennsylvania. He attempts to persuade his family to make the move to North America by informing them how the land does not “require payment of tithes,” and how “wheat is grown most frequent” (54) This valid piece of evidence is useful to his persuasion as he goes on to compare the earnings of bread in the new country to his old country. Hanner says “If I work for two days I earn more bread than in eight days at home” (54). His illustration of this marvelous world is credible due to the area he happened to dwell in. As opposed more central locations where he could have easily found himself in an unfortunate indentured servitude situation. His voyage to find freedom is eventually confirmed and celebrated. This individual’s story represents the overall timeless assumption that North America was the land of the free. Throughout these anecdotes, a series of gender and vocational issues rise as prevalent highlighters that dot the social and economic topography of the 18th century. However, these prevalent issues within these anecdotes share an overarching theme of freedom and its value. The value of freedom is stamp on the human spirit, a benchmark for success and hope. These stories of freedom and the tribulations that arise with this evolving word links both present and past.

Does the accessibility of freedom differ for young laborers in 18th North America based on their individual vocational status, gender, and geographical location?