Labor refers to the physical or mental effort exerted by individuals to produce goods and services. In the context of early English settlements like Jamestown, labor was essential for survival and economic development.
Related terms
Indentured Servitude: A system where individuals would work under a contract for a specific period of time in exchange for passage to America or other benefits.
Slavery: The institution in which people are treated as property and forced to work without consent or pay.
Plantations: Large agricultural estates where crops were grown, often utilizing slave labor, particularly in the Southern colonies.