Question

Why was the invention of the cotton gin so important?

Answer 1

Answer:

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.

correct answer B

Answer 2

Answer:

$\boxed {\sf B. \ It \ made \ cotton \ production \ more \ profitable \ leading \ to \ the \ expansion \ of \ slavery}}$

Explanation:

In the late 1700s and early 1800s, lots of change was happening in the United States. In the North, the Industrial Revolution caused the textile industry (which depended on cotton) to boom.

Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. Before his innovation, cotton had to be hand separated, which was very time consuming. Now, the invention sped up this process. The demand for cotton skyrocketed and made cotton more profitable.

However, it made the demand for slavery spike too. More slaves were needed to maximize slave owner profit by planting, harvesting, and turning the machine.

So, based on this information, the invention made slavery expand because cotton was more valuable and choice B is correct.