Headright system

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The "headright" system was introduced in 1618 and was used in Jamestown as an attempt to solve labor shortages due to the advent of the tobacco economy, which required large plots of land with many workers. Virginian colonists were each given two headrights of 50 acres (200,000 m²) each, immigrant colonists who paid for their passage were given one headright, and individuals would receive one headright each time they paid for the passage of another individual. This last mechanism increased the division between the wealthy land-owners and the working poor. Many persons came to the colonies in an attempt to gain land, but were denied headrights by "Kings."Template:US-hist-stub