High School

Which of the following statements gives a more accurate picture of the cotton gin's effect on slavery in Mississippi?

A. It had no effect on the demand for slaves because it cleaned the cotton fibers at approximately the same rate as the slaves could.

B. By doing the work of several slaves who normally separated the cotton seeds from the cotton fiber, the cotton gin caused slavery to decrease in Mississippi.

C. It had no effect on slavery in Mississippi because most people in Mississippi were too poor to afford the cotton gin.

D. By doing the work of several slaves who normally separated the cotton seeds from the cotton fiber, the cotton gin actually created more work for field slaves because they could be used more in the fields growing more cotton.

Answer :

Final answer:

The cotton gin increased efficiency in cotton production, leading to greater demand for slaves in Mississippi. The correct understanding is that the gin enabled planters to cultivate more cotton, requiring more field laborers. Thus, slavery actually intensified due to the economic benefits of the cotton gin.


Explanation:

Effect of the Cotton Gin on Slavery in Mississippi

The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793, fundamentally transformed cotton production and had significant implications for slavery in the Southern United States, including Mississippi.

Among the options provided, the most accurate statement is:
By doing the work of several slaves who normally separated the cotton seeds from the cotton fiber, the cotton gin actually created more work for field slaves because they could be used more in the fields growing more cotton.

This is because the cotton gin significantly increased the efficiency of cotton processing. Before its invention, slaves spent a long time removing seeds from cotton fibers, limiting the amount of cotton that could be produced. The cotton gin allowed for faster processing, which spurred planters to cultivate even more cotton, thus increasing the demand for slaves to plant and harvest the larger cotton fields.

Additionally, while it is true that some smaller farmers may not have been able to afford the cotton gin initially, those who were involved in the cotton economy saw a growing need for more labor as cotton became a highly profitable crop, leading to an increase in the slave population in the region.


Learn more about cotton gin and slavery here:

https://brainly.com/question/29620742