SALLY SMITH’S LETTER, Exams of Nursing

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Running head: SALLY SMITH’S LETTER 1 Sally Smith’s Letter Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation(s)

Sally Smith’s Letter Sally’s letter is one addressed to her mother, who remained in London while she ventured into the New World, Virginia. Firstly, she coveys her concern to her mother since the letter she wrote years ago has met no reply, creating more worry whether everything is alright with her mother. After a brief salutation, Sally speaks of the state of things at the farm in Virginia. She speaks of the extensive labour hours that span from night to day, the numerous tasks she has to complete every day; from cooking for the workers and then working in the tobacco farms under the scorching sun. After the hard day, she also has to return to the house for other duties as well. Sally describes the atmosphere of the area; where her employer, Mr Garvey, treats her unjustly and viciously, the segregation from the male co-workers both English and slave alike. Other than cruelty from her employer, she suffers from the injustice and cruelty from her employer’s wife. She states, no clothes are provided to her; she wears the same clothes all the time. She also explains a sense of jealousy from the Mistress Garvey, which she states is because of their age differences and her childlessness as well. Despite the injustice and the cruelty in the Virginia farm, she claims she must labour on. Sally letter creates an image of the state of colonial Virginia and the treatment of indentured servants in Virginia. This letter also connects with what history has taught us about Virginia and indentured servitude. The three-decade war in Europe had depressed the countries’ economies, so many unskilled and skilled workers were left with no employment (The American yawp, 2019, ch.2). The new world presented hope for a new life thus resulting in immigration from Europe to America, most of them being indentured servants. Virginia, as in the letter, was one of the areas that harboured indentured servants, in the decade that followed the establishment of Jamestown in east Virginia, in 1607 by the Virginia company. The letter corresponds to the

for a period of four to seven years. In exchange for their labour in the New World, they would receive a passage for the economically unstable European country, in addition to clothing, shelter and food at the arrival in the colony. There was also the hope of a salary for some. At the end of service there was the promise of paid freedom dues in form of land, clothing, corn, or money. On the surface, such terms seemed like an excellent way for luckless poor people of England such as Sally Smith to make a life for themselves in the new world. However, after some time, they realised it wasn’t the case. Only approximately forty percent of the indentured servants survived long enough to complete the terms of the agreements. Sally smith’s letter strongly relates to the Richard Frethorne experiences of indentured servants. Like sally states of the nature of Virginia, Frethorne accounts speak of a similar harshness of the new world. His reports speak of harsh illnesses such as bloody flux, scurvy and other diseases that caused them to grow weaker and of poor health (Frethorne, 1623). The labourers also speak of how poorly they were poorly treated and fed; solely on peas and small bread rations (Frethorne, 1623). Like Sally’s account, the land is not as promising as they once hoped, they now dress in rags with no hope of finding a spare set of garments. Similarly, the account emphasises on the state of the plantations the poor living conditions, and how the day and night labour and the difficulties in acclimating to the new word increased the mortality rate of the indentured servants from England. They are always in a state of fear from the surrounding enemies and the water they drink (Frethorne, 1623). In summary, all accounts on the indentured labourers, either male or female, show how the new world was extensively unfavourable; it pushed before into illnesses, harassment and despair. Both accounts create a mental image of colonial image of Virginia, with an appropriate connection to each other and the existing historical accounts.

References Frethorne, R. (1623). Letter to Mr Bateman. Records of the Virginia Company of London, 4,. , 41 - 42. Locke, J. &. (2014). The American yawp: A free and online, collaboratively built an American history textbook.