Before the cotton gin was invented, cotton was not seen as a profitable crop since it was difficult to harvest. The seed was removed from the cotton fibers by hand, making it time consuming. Then, in 1794, a man named Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin and turned cotton into a profitable cash crop. Soon, the South had become the world's biggest provider of cotton. Their economy was booming. Many people referred to the cotton gin as an "economic triumph". This economic triumph, unfortunately, increased and prolonged the use of slave in America.
Slave states grew as the invention of the cotton gin became more popular.
The enormous profits that were produced from the cotton gin, made it impossible to outlaw slavery. The rise of profits led to the rise of slaves. Soon, one in every three people in the South was a slave.