Summary: The invention of the cotton gin sparked many changes in not only America, but in Europe as well. Many of these changes were economic, putting America at the forefront of the cotton industry. The South particularly was the the main producer of cotton for the world. Since the cotton gin originated in America, many countries started buying cotton, raw, or refined from America. England also tried to bolster their economy by converting most of the Northern part of the country to cotton farms. The civil war would hinder America's involvement in the cotton industry, but this prompted England and other European countries ,who used America for cotton, to incorporate many of their colonies. Now with most of the settled world producing or buying cotton, Britain gained a large amount of power. Despite English efforts to dominate the cotton exchange, once the Civil War was over, America was back on top. Even though slaves were no longer available, they were producing up to twice as much cotton as they had been before. America quickly regained control of not only raw cotton, but refined cotton as well.
1. Could this be considered the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, why, or why not?
2. What modern day invention could be compared to the cotton gin, and why?
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