1640
Virginia, VA · On map
The 1640s saw the first legal distinctions between enslaved Africans and indentured servants in Virginia, marking a shift toward race-based slavery[8][19]. These legal distinctions established that Africans would face longer terms of service and harsher conditions than white indentured servants[11]. This period represented a transitional phase in which the legal status of Africans began to deteriorate while white Europeans gained increased rights[11].
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