in Virginia. Punch had escaped along with two white indentured servants, one from the United Provinces and the other from Scotland. When they were captured, all three were sentenced to whippings. The Dutchman and the Scotsman were sentenced to an additional four years of servitude. However, John Punch, the African, was sentenced to servitude for the rest of his life. The difference in penalties makes this one of the first cases to show a racial distinction between black and white indentured servants. See also Indentured servitude in Virginia John Punch Freedom suit List of slaves References External links Did Black People Own Slaves? 17th-century American slaves American indentured servants Virginia colonial people Freedom suits in the United States United States slavery case law Year of birth missing Year of death missing American domestic workers