Asked by Jalia Arnwine on Jun 04, 2024
Verified
The Virginia Company's establishment of the headright system in 1618
A) gave every former indentured servant fifty acres of land, which created the basis for a more socially equal society than that of Massachusetts.
B) gave fifty acres of land to any colonist who paid for his own or another's passage, which in effect awarded large estates to anyone who brought in a sizable number of servants.
C) gave widows the entirety of their husbands' properties in perpetuity, which undermined the patriarchal social order.
D) forbade the development of large plantations, which hindered the spread of tobacco farming.
E) abolished indentured servitude and slavery and dispersed all plantation owners' lands to former servants and slaves.
Headright System
A land-grant policy that promised fifty acres to any colonist who could afford passage to Virginia, as well as fifty more for any accompanying servants. The headright policy was eventually expanded to include any colonists—and was also adopted in other colonies.
Large Estates
Expansive areas of land, usually encompassing significant homes or mansions, often associated with wealth and aristocracy.
- Identify the various incentives and systems (e.g., the headright system) used to encourage English settlement in America.
Verified Answer
DM
devona milesJun 07, 2024
Final Answer :
B
Explanation :
The headright system granted fifty acres of land to any colonist who paid for his own or another's passage to Virginia. This encouraged the importation of indentured servants and others to work on large plantations, which in turn led to the creation of large land estates owned by wealthy planters. This system perpetuated the unequal social structure of Virginia society, with a small number of wealthy plantation owners at the top and a large population of poor, landless laborers at the bottom.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the various incentives and systems (e.g., the headright system) used to encourage English settlement in America.