Final answer:
The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney, increased the demand for slave labor due to its efficiency in cotton processing and the subsequent rise in cotton production resulting in greater need for labor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in the late 18th century had a profound impact on the demand for slave labor in the United States. Contrary to Whitney's hopes that the cotton gin would render slavery obsolete, the machine drastically increased the efficiency of cotton processing and led to a surge in cotton production.
This boom in the cotton industry, particularly with the widespread cultivation of short-staple cotton, required extensive labor to plant, tend, and harvest the crops. As a result, the demand for enslaved workers grew to meet the needs of the expanding agricultural economy. Planters sought to produce large quantities of cotton to exploit the rising cotton prices in the international market, which in turn intensified their reliance on slave labor.
It's important to note that while the cotton gin itself made the cleaning of cotton much faster, it did not reduce the need for labor to grow and pick the cotton, which was where the majority of labor was required. From 1800 to 1820, cotton production skyrocketed, necessitating an ever-growing labor force. Thus, the answer to the question regarding the cotton gin's effect on the demand for slaves is that it increased the demand for slaves.