What impact did the cotton gin have on slavery?
1 Answer
The cotton gin invented to reduce slavery actually greatly increased slavery.
Explanation:
Before the cotton gin cotton could only be grown profitably in the costal areas of the Carolinas, Georgia and Virginia. The long staple form of cotton only grew in these regions. Separating the long staple form was difficult and time consuming requiring many slaves to separate the cotton from the seeds. Short staple form of cotton was not profitable anywhere.
The cotton gin was suppose to reduce slavery by reducing the number of slaves needed to separate the cotton from the seeds.
Fewer slaves would be needed to grow and process the cotton.
People soon discovered that the cotton gin could be used to easily separate the cotton fibers from the seed on short staple cotton. Short staple cotton could be grown in the hotter inland areas of the south. Cotton plantation sprang up all over the south, from Alabama to Arkansas and Texas. The vast increase in land under cotton cultivation created a demand for more and more slaves. Fewer slaves were needed to separate the cotton making it profitable to grow cotton in more areas. More slaves were needed to grow, cultivate and harvest the cotton.
The cotton gin increased slavery by making growing short staple cotton profitable throughout the south.
