What was a direct impact of the invention of the cotton gin?

The invention of the cotton gin had a significant direct impact on increasing the demand for slave labor in the Southern United States. The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793, made the process of separating cotton fibers from seeds much faster and more efficient. As a result, cotton became a highly profitable cash crop, leading to a surge in cotton production.

Plantation owners sought to maximize their profits from this booming industry, which led to an increased demand for labor to plant, harvest, and process the cotton. Consequently, this expanded the use of enslaved individuals, as the labor-intensive nature of cotton farming relied heavily on a workforce that could support the growing scale of operations. This relationship between cotton production and slavery played a crucial role in shaping the economic and social landscape of the antebellum South, ultimately contributing to the entrenchment of slavery in the region.

In contrast, the other choices do not accurately reflect the direct outcome of the cotton gin's invention. For instance, textile production actually increased because the easier access to cotton led to a boom in the textile industry. Similarly, while the development of the railroad did occur in the broader economic context, it was not a direct outcome of the cotton gin itself but rather a response to the transportation