The cotton gin could produce up to __________ lbs. of cotton a day.

The cotton gin allowed an enslaved laborer to process up to fifty pounds of cotton per day, which was much more efficient than the previous manual method.

Explanation:

The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793, significantly increased the productivity of cotton processing. This mechanized device allowed an enslaved laborer to remove the seeds from up to fifty pounds of cotton a day, which was a dramatic improvement over the one pound per day that could be processed by hand. Despite this technological advancement, it is important to recognize that the increased productivity came at a significant human cost. The demand for cotton and the subsequent rise in production pressured enslaved laborers to work longer, harder hours under often brutal conditions.

The cotton gin could produce up to 50 pounds of cotton a day. Before the invention of the cotton gin, separating the seeds from the cotton fiber was done by hand and the process was slow and labor-intensive. However, with the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1794, the production of cotton became much faster and more efficient. Enslaved laborers were able to remove the seeds from fifty pounds of cotton a day with the cotton gin, compared to only one pound if done by hand.