Answer :

The cotton gin increased cotton production by approximately 50 times.

The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793 dramatically transformed the cotton industry. Prior to its invention, the process of separating cotton fibers from seeds was labor-intensive and time-consuming, involving manual removal of seeds.

The cotton gin mechanized this process, allowing for much faster separation. With the cotton gin, a single worker could process much more cotton per day than was previously possible.

This efficiency boost not only accelerated production but also made cotton a more profitable crop for farmers. The impact of the cotton gin was profound, leading to an increase in cotton production and contributing to the expansion of cotton plantations in the Southern United States.

This also had significant socio-economic effects, reinforcing the demand for enslaved labor to manage the large-scale cotton cultivation. The cotton gin thus played a pivotal role in shaping both the agricultural and social landscape of the era.