Bondman

A bondman is a person bound to service without wages, considered the property of their master or lord; a slave. This status often involved legal constraints and a complete lack of personal autonomy. Bondmen were typically tied to the land (villeins) or the person of their owner. The system encompassed various forms of servitude, including chattel slavery where individuals were bought and sold, and indentured servitude where individuals worked for a set period to repay a debt or contract. This system was often hereditary. Bondmen were deprived of fundamental rights. They were subject to the will of their masters and could be subjected to cruelty and exploitation. The concept is now widely condemned.

Bondman meaning with examples

• In feudal society, the bondman tilled the fields of the manor, providing sustenance for the lord in exchange for the bare minimum of sustenance and protection. Their lives were dictated by the harvest and the demands of their master. A bondman's labor fueled the societal structure, albeit at a huge cost of their freedom.
• Historians analyze documents such as manorial records to understand the lives and conditions of bondmen and their struggles within a rigid system. These records offer insight into their limited freedoms and the restrictions that impacted family dynamics. They also provide a glimpse into revolts and rebellions.
• The Fugitive Slave Act of the United States required citizens to return escaped bondmen to their owners, fueling controversy and igniting abolitionist sentiments. The fight for freedom included harrowing journeys for bondmen seeking liberty, the threat of recapture ever-present.
• Literary works such as 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' exposed the brutality of slavery and the suffering of bondmen, shaping public opinion and advocating for the abolition of slavery and the fight for human rights and equality among people everywhere. They brought light to the inhumane condition.