Did the Middle Ages make slavery give way to serfdom?

Question

Did the Middle Ages make slavery give way to serfdom?

Answer 1

I'm not sure I understand your question.  Serfdom was just glorified slavery.  While slavery was never a big way of life in Europe, serfdom existed for many century and didn't actually die out until the Industrial Revolution.  European land owners did not need to import labor to work the land.  They had the serfs.  Serfs lived a life only slightly better than slaves.  

Slavery hit it big in the new world where there was more land than people.  Suddenly there was a shortage of labor and slavery filled the bill.  A few indenture servants came over, but not enough to fill the need.