Answer:
The status of being a laborer or a slave has historically been determined by a variety of factors, including race, ethnicity, nationality, and social status. In many societies throughout history, individuals have been born into slavery or indentured servitude, with their status being passed down from generation to generation. In other cases, individuals have become enslaved as a result of being captured in wars, being sold into slavery by poverty or debt, or through the slave trade.
In the case of the Americas, European colonizers brought over African slaves to work on their plantations, often as a result of a labor shortage caused by the death of many indigenous people and the difficulty of obtaining indentured servants from Europe. This led to the establishment of a system of racialized slavery that lasted for centuries and shaped the economic, political, and social development of the Americas in profound ways.
It's important to note that the experiences of laborers and slaves have varied greatly depending on the time period, location, and specific circumstances, but the fact remains that in many societies throughout history, some individuals have been forced to work under conditions of coercion and exploitation.