The people of the fleet included seamen, marines and their families, government officials, and a large number of convicts, including women and children. The majority were British, but there were also African, American and French convicts on board.[14][15] The convicts had committed a variety of crimes, including theft, perjury, fraud, assault and robbery, for which they had been sentenced to penal transportation for 7 years, 14 years or for the term of their natural life.[16][17]