What term refers to laborers who contracted to work for a period in exchange for passage to America?

The term that refers to laborers who contracted to work for a specified period in exchange for their passage to America is "indentured servants." This practice was particularly common in the 17th and 18th centuries, especially in the British colonies. Indentured servants would sign a contract, typically lasting between four to seven years, in which they agreed to work for a master in exchange for food, shelter, and the promise of land or money at the end of their service.

This system was significant in the early colonial economy as it provided a source of labor for plantations and farms, which were crucial for the economy, especially in states like Virginia and Maryland where tobacco was a major crop. The indentured servant model allowed many poorer Europeans to migrate to America and improve their social status after their term of labor was completed.

The other terms listed refer to different labor systems or conditions. Slaves were an entirely different class of laborers who were forced into lifelong servitude without any contracts. Free laborers operated independently and were paid for their work, while apprentices were typically young individuals learning a trade under a master craftsman for a limited time but were not tied to labor in exchange for passage across the ocean.