How did the cotton gin lead to a rise in slavery?

Question

The cotton gin made growing cotton less profitable.

The slave trade was legal for farm work only.

Growing cotton required many workers.

Demand for cotton in the North declined.

Answer 1

The statement that best explains how the cotton gin led to a rise in slavery is:

Growing cotton required many workers.

The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793, significantly increased the efficiency of cotton processing, making it much easier to separate cotton fibers from seeds. This led to a dramatic increase in cotton production, especially in the Southern United States, as it became a highly profitable cash crop. To meet the growing demand for cotton, plantation owners needed a large workforce to cultivate and harvest the cotton fields, which resulted in an increase in the demand for slave labor. As cotton became a dominant agricultural product, the institution of slavery expanded in the South to support this lucrative industry.