USHistory.org - The Crowning of King Cotton

What was the main reason cotton production was expensive before the invention of the cotton gin?

• The price of cotton was very high.

• It was difficult to transport cotton.

• The labor necessary to remove the seeds was huge.

• Cotton plants were rare and hard to grow.

What impact did the cotton gin have on cotton production?

• It decreased the demand for cotton.

• It made the process of removing seeds from cotton faster.

• It increased the cost of producing cotton.

• It made cotton less popular as a fabric.

What was the prevailing thinking among the leaders of the country about slavery before the cotton gin was invented?

• Slavery would become more widespread

• Slavery would gradually disappear

• Slavery would remain unchanged

• Slavery would become a more central part of the economy

What did Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin lead to in the southern economy?

• Decrease in the number of slaves

• Increase in the production of cotton

• Decrease in the production of cotton

• Elimination of the plantation system

What was the general view of slavery in the South after the cotton industry gave it a new lease on life?

• It was seen as an old-fashioned idea

• It was seen as an evil that must eventually be swept away

• It was seen as an institution to be cherished

• It was seen as a temporary necessity

In one paragraph, explain how various factors interacted to increase the defense of slavery in the American antebellum south.