Answer :
Final answer:
The plantation system and enslavement in the Southern states expanded primarily due to the invention of the cotton gin and the increasing demand for cotton. Eli Whitney's cotton gin enhanced the efficiency of cotton production, leading to a significant rise in output and the need for slave labor. As a result, the profitability of cotton agriculture transformed the Southern economy and society.
Explanation:
Contributions to the Expansion of the Plantation System and Enslavement in Southern States
The expansion of the plantation system and the reliance on enslaved labor in the Southern states were significantly impacted by the invention of the cotton gin and the increased demand for cotton. The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793, revolutionized cotton production by allowing planters to process cotton much faster than before. This invention enabled the profitable production of short-staple cotton, which became a cash crop for the South.
As cotton prices soared in the international market, the demand for labor to cultivate and harvest this crop also greatly increased. This demand led to a marked rise in the enslavement of African Americans, as planters sought to maximize their profits by expanding their plantations. From 1800 to 1820, cotton production skyrocketed from about 73,000 bales to 730,000 bales, demonstrating how quickly the industry grew due to the combined effects of the cotton gin and market demand.
With the soil of the Southern U.S. well-suited for cotton cultivation, and with the ease of transporting goods due to the transportation revolution, cotton plantations expanded westward into new territories. By the mid-19th century, the U.S. supplied roughly 68 percent of the world's cotton, solidifying the plantation system as a cornerstone of the Southern economy and, unfortunately, of the institution of slavery itself.
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