USA HISTORY

THE VIRGINIA DYNASTY 1801 1825

JAMES MADISON AFTER THE WAR OF 1812 THE ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney resulted in
A
quicker factory production.
B
soil being fertilized.
C
growth in plantations and slavery.
D
railroads and canals to transport cotton.
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -While it was true that the cotton gin reduced the labor of removing seeds, it did not reduce the need for enslaved labor to grow and pick the cotton. In fact, the opposite occurred. Cotton growing became so profitable for enslavers that it greatly increased their demand for both land and enslaved labor.

Detailed explanation-2: -The gin improved the separation of the seeds and fibers but the cotton still needed to be picked by hand. The demand for cotton roughly doubled each decade following Whitney’s invention. So cotton became a very profitable crop that also demanded a growing slave-labor force to harvest it.

Detailed explanation-3: -How did the cotton gin lead to the spread of slavery? The cotton gin made the harvesting of the cotton faster, which increased the production of cotton. With all of the cotton, slave owners would need more slaves, which would mean more harvested cotton, which would result in more money.

There is 1 question to complete.