Question

question: 16 use the table to answer the question. enslaved population of georgia year enslaved population percentage of total population 1790 29,264 35.5% 1800 59,699 36.7% 1810 105,218 41.7% 1820 149,658 43.5% in the early 1800s, the number of african people held captive in slavery grew dramatically in southern states such as georgia. what contributed the most to this trend? a. the development of the steam engine b. the industrialization of the south c. the invention of the cotton gin d. the electrification of rural areas

Explanation:

The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 made cotton - processing more efficient. This led to a huge increase in cotton production in the South, which in turn increased the demand for enslaved labor to work on cotton plantations. The steam engine was more related to transportation and manufacturing in general, not specifically to the growth of slavery in the South. The South was less industrialized compared to the North during this period and industrialization did not drive the growth of slavery. Electrification of rural areas occurred much later in history.

Answer:

C. the invention of the cotton gin