Irish indentured servants

Irish indentured servants were people who chose to work as servants in exchange for a free journey to America. They made an agreement with their employer (called an "indentured contract") to work for a certain number of years, usually 4 or 5, in exchange for food, clothes, a place to live, and the cost of their journey to America. During their "indentured" period, they couldn't leave their job or get paid with money, but instead they received the services mentioned above. After they had finished their indentured contract, they were free to find their own employment.