"Bound to service for only a limited number of years and imbued with rights they could defend in court, indentured servants enjoyed a quasi-freedom that distinguished them from people enslaved for life" (Fischer, 2002, p. 102)
Interestingly enough, the female indentured servant had slightly more legal rights than her married counterpart in that she had the right to sue an abusive master. The majority of women that came to the southern colonies were indentured servants. (Fischer, 2002, p.102) During the period of their indenture which typically was from four to seven years (Kamensky, 1995, p.32) they were at the mercy of their master. Their contracts could be sold or traded, they could be loaned out as property to another master, and they could not marry without permission from their master. (Fischer, 2002, p.102) If a servant became pregnant and gave birth to a child during her servitude, it was law that additional year(s) per child be added to her indenture so that the master could recover the time lost from her work, regardless of whether or not the master fathered the child, which was not uncommon. (Fischer, 2002, p.108)
Once the indenture was complete, the woman could receive various forms of payment depending on the law at the time. In 1751, the law stated that a servant completing the period of indenture had to receive "three barrel of Indian corn and two suits of clothes valued at £ 5" (Watson, 1981, p.7). These items varied by location and time period.