The cotton gin is a machine invented by Eli Whitney in 1793 that revolutionized the cotton industry. It efficiently separates cotton fibers from their seeds, significantly speeding up the processing of cotton. Before the cotton gin, this task was labor-intensive and time-consuming, making cotton production less profitable. The invention of the cotton gin led to a dramatic increase in cotton production in the United States, particularly in the Southern states. This surge in cotton farming contributed to the growth of the textile industry and had lasting economic impacts, but it also intensified the reliance on slave labor in the South.