Headright

/ˈhɛd.raɪt/ noun

Definition

A historical land grant given to settlers in colonial Virginia and other colonies, typically 50 acres per person brought to the colony.

Etymology

From 'head' (per person, by head count) and 'right' (legal claim or privilege). This term emerged in 17th-century colonial America as a settlement incentive.

Kelly Says

Headrights created a twisted incentive—colonists could claim land for bringing servants or enslaved people, which actually accelerated the slave trade and shaped American inequality for centuries.

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