How did the cotton gin boom affect slavery in the south?

The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 significantly boosted cotton production in the South, leading to a dramatic increase in demand for slave labor. As cotton became the dominant cash crop, plantation owners sought more slaves to maximize their profits, resulting in the expansion of slavery across the region. This boom entrenched the institution of slavery, making it a central part of the Southern economy and society, and ultimately contributing to the tensions that led to the Civil War.