A majority of the early english migrants to the chesapeake bay area were

Indentured servants

Explanation:

The first European settlement in the Chesapeake bay area is Jamestown, founded in 1607. Soon after the mapping of the bay English migrants settled on the easily accessible shores.

By the end of the 17th century indentured servants (a debt bondage) who gained their freedom had little choice but to hire themselves out for low wages to their former masters.  

- tobacco.

- "rolfe reacted to consumer demand by importing seed from the west indies and cultivating the plant in the jamestown colony. those tobacco seeds became the seeds of a huge economic empire.the tobacco economy rapidly began to shape the society and development of the colony. growing tobacco takes its toil on the soil."

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