Question

Starting in the late 1600s, why did the planter class increasingly rely on african slaves for labor rather than indentured servants?

Answer 1

In 1600s the planter class increasingly relied on African slaves for labor majorly because slaves were offering cheap labor now that the planters didn't have to pay for this form of labor. This led to most of them foregoing traditional indentured servants who would be paid for  their labor and instead opted for African slaves.