Although slavery continued to persist and was the basis of much of the southern economy, people began to speak against the institution as early as the american revolution. northern states passed laws to end the practice, and many southerners believed their states would follow. however, the 1792 invention of the cotton gin shattered the trend and set southern states on a dangerous course with terrible consequences.

the cotton gin caused slave owners to depend even more on slavery. cotton production was now profitable across the south. growing cotton still required intense work. the value of slaves increased, making owning slaves a large investment. the more slaves a cotton plantation had, the more cotton could be grown and exported. the cotton was sent to northern factories to be turned into cloth and traded overseas.

with all of the profit to be made, slave owners feared financial loss and violence. rebellions like the one that nat turner led in 1831 increased those fears. turner, a field slave, led over 40 slaves in a rebellion in virginia. their planned attack went from plantation to plantation and resulted in the killing of 55 people. after nat turner’s rebellion, southern states passed laws to control the practice of slavery. for example, south carolina passed a law making it illegal to emancipate slaves without permission from the state. teaching slaves to read or write was a punishable crime in most southern states. literacy increased the risk of rebellion and runaways.

at the same time, the antislavery movement was growing in northern states. some religious and political leaders said slavery was a moral evil and violated christian values. southern slave owners returned the attack. they claimed they provided slaves all their physical needs throughout life. they accused northern factory owners of failing to care properly for their workers. numerous people in the north actively participated in promoting the anti-slavery movement. abolition supporters suffered violence for their beliefs as well. not all people in northern states agreed with ending slavery or slaves. northern states made profits from the southern slave labor, too. the cotton sent to northern factories was turned into cloth and sold back to the southern states and around the world.
eli whitney’s invention of the cotton gin transformed the nature of u. s. slavery in the early 1800s. enslavement grew larger and more profitable than ever before in the nation’s history. while southern states took steps to protect the practice, a growing antislavery movement was brewing in the north. both free and enslaved african americans took great risk in supporting abolition or aiding escaped slaves. they inspire modern movements to protect equal rights and protection for all.

now that you are familiar with the cotton gin, the underground railroad, and key abolitionists, you will reflect on your learning by answering questions.

you will answer each question with a paragraph of complete sentences of your own words. be sure to mention specific events, people, and terms from the lesson to support your answer.
how did the invention of the cotton gin affect slavery in the united states?
what was the underground railroad? your response needs to include and explain the terms conductor, lines, station, and freight.
how did men like william lloyd garrison, reverend lovejoy, and fredrick douglass participate in the abolitionist movement?
(stuck on this for a couple of days will give brainliest if aswered ! )