Between 1650 and 1780, a significant portion of European migrants to North America, estimated at 50% to 66%, arrived through indentured servitude agreements. This method entailed individuals working for a set period in exchange for passage to the New World, and it highlights the economic dynamics of migration during that era.

Niall Ferguson’s book "Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World" discusses the broader implications of such migration patterns. The reliance on indentured servitude reflects the social and economic conditions of Europe at the time, influencing the development of colonial societies in North America.