Question

How did the cotton gin affect both small upcountry farmers and large lowcountry farmers?

Question 1 options:

Small upcountry farmers had little money to purchase slaves to operate the cotton gin, leaving the industry to the lowcountry farmers.


The two regions became more similar, as upcountry farmers obtained wealth and status by investing in cotton and slaves.


It led to a decrease in the number of slaves farmers needed, allowing upcountry farmers to compete with those in the lowcountry.


The cotton gin sparked a desire for industry in South Carolina, endangering the livelihoods of both upcountry and lowcountry farmers.

Answer 1

It led to a decrease in the number of slaves farmers needed, allowing upcountry farmers to compete with those in the lowcountry.

Explanation: I took the test

Answer 2

The correct answer is small upcountry farmers had little money to purchase slaves to operate the cotton gin, leaving the industry to low country farmers.

The cotton gin was an invention made by Eli Whitney in 1793. The cotton gin was a machine that easily removed seeds from cotton. Before this invention, cleaning cotton was a long and tedious process. With the new cotton gin, it drastically reduced the time and price of producing cotton. This resulted in many plantation owners and farmers in Southern states (specific the low country) switching to growing cotton as their main cash crop.