Kentucky Governor's Cup Practice Test 2026 – Complete Exam Prep

Indentured servant describes someone who agreed to work for a master in exchange for passage to the colonies, along with food, clothing, and shelter, for a set term of years. In colonial America, many immigrants could not pay for the voyage upfront, so they signed an indenture that bound them to service for roughly four to seven years, after which they could gain freedom and receive “freedom dues” like land or tools. This term specifically captures the contractual, funded-labor arrangement tied to crossing the ocean, which other options do not. A bondservant is a broader historical term for being bound by a bond, but it isn’t the precise kind of contract tied to the voyage and term-length labor in this context. A laborer or servant for hire lacks the defined time-bound commitment and the explicit funding of the voyage.