Cotton In The 19th Century

By the mid-19th century cotton was America’s leading export, and raw cotton became essential for the American and European economy. The cotton gin was a machine that revolutionized the production of cotton by separating cotton fibers from their seeds, allowing for a quicker and easier way than doing it manually. The fibers were then processed into clothing or other goods that served great purpose to the economy. The cotton gin “annually produced and exported 1.5 million bales of raw cotton – over two-thirds of the world’s supply – and its economy was larger and richer than that of most nations.” (MACMILLIAN WEBSITE). The demand for cotton was so immense that the South was soon able to support itself by selling cotton.