Irish indentured servitude

Okay, let's say you have some toys you really like but your mom and dad won't buy you any more. But you really, really want more toys. So, you ask your uncle if he can help you get more toys. He says yes, but there's a catch.

Your uncle says you have to come and work for him for seven years. During those seven years, you'll have to do whatever he tells you to do, like clean his room or wash dishes. But, in return, he will give you money and allow you to buy new toys with that money.

That's kind of like what happened to some Irish people many years ago. They didn't have enough money to pay for their own journey to America, so they asked people called "masters" if they could pay for their trip in exchange for working for them for a certain amount of time. This was called indentured servitude.

So, the Irish people would work for the master for many years, sometimes even more than seven years, doing whatever they were told. In return, the master would pay for their journey to America and sometimes give them clothes, food, and a place to live.

Unfortunately, many of the Irish people who became indentured servants were treated poorly by their masters. They were often abused, not given enough food or clothing, and made to work extremely hard.

So, like when you ask your uncle for help getting more toys, the Irish people who became indentured servants were trying to make a better life for themselves. But, it wasn't always fair or nice.