Indentured Servants and Slaves Indentured servants in the 17th century and black slaves in the 18th century lived very similar lives. Both people had to endure a treacherous journey to the New World, both were isolated from their families and their loved ones, both were looked at as subhuman and both had their human rights infringed. The most important differences between these two people were how they got into a life of hardship. Indentured servants had the choice, and could look forward to the end of their servitude. African slaves had no such prerogative. They were kidnapped from their hom