What: A machine that quickly and efficiently separated cotton seeds from cotton fibers, making cotton production much more profitable and widespread.
Impact: Why Significant?:
Increased cotton production: The cotton gin made cotton production exponentially faster, leading to a massive increase in cotton cultivation in the South.
Expansion of slavery: The increased demand for cotton led to a dramatic expansion of slavery in the South, as more labor was needed to work the fields. This intensified the economic and political power of the slaveholding states.
Economic growth in the South: Cotton became the dominant cash crop in the South, fueling economic growth and contributing to the development of a distinct Southern culture.
National tensions: The expansion of slavery fueled growing tensions between the North and South, ultimately contributing to the outbreak of the Civil War.
Global impact: The cotton gin helped to make cotton a major global commodity, impacting economies around the world.