Georgia Experience is great for...
The Cotton Gin
Ellis Arnall
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New technological developments had a huge impact on
Georgia’s growth. One of the most stunning examples is the
cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793.
Before the cotton gin, cleaning the seeds from cotton was
a slow, tiresome task. A worker could only clean about one
pound of cotton per day. With a cotton gin, a worker could
clean 50 pounds per day! In 1795 (first year of cotton gin
operation), 8 million pounds of cotton were produced in the U.S. By 1800 (just five years
later), cotton production had increased more than 400 percent!
The increase in cotton production led to:
● More cotton could be produced in less time.
● Planters could sell more cotton and make more money.
● Textile mill owners could buy more cotton, make more cloth, sell more cloth, and
make more money!
● More slaves were used to plant, harvest, and “gin” the cotton.
Ellis Arnall’s four years as governor of Georgia (1943–47)
are considered to be among the most progressive and
effective in the modern history of the state. Arnall
presented an ambitious reform program that was approved
by the legislature within 24 days of his becoming
governor—still a record in Georgia. Arnall also helped
restore accreditation to Georgia’s institutions of higher
learning, reformed the state prison system, repealed the poll tax, lowered the voting age,
revised the state constitution, established a teachers’ retirement system, and paid off a state
debt of $36 million.
Arnall supported voting rights for African Americans. His political career was hurt when
he wanted to allow African Americans to vote in the state’s white-only primaries. Many
white Georgians were critical of Arnall because of this issue. Arnall only served one term as
governor, but is remembered as one of Georgia’s most progressive governors.
Answer the following questions.
Write the cause for each effect below. The first one is done for you.
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Comprehension
1. Name three of Arnall’s progressive reforms of Georgia’s government.
Cause: Cleaning the seeds from cotton took a long time.
1._________________________________________________________
Effect: Not much cotton was produced.
2._________________________________________________________
Analysis
3._________________________________________________________
Cause: ___________________________________________________________________________
Effect: A worker could clean 50 pounds of cotton per day.
2. In what way was Arnall “ahead of his time?”
_____________________________________________________________________________
Cause: ___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Effect: Textile mill owners could make more cloth.
3. Why were some Georgians critical of Arnall?
Cause: ___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Effect: The number of slaves increased tremendously.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Correlation: SS8H10
Correlation: SS8H5
©Carole Marsh/Gallopade International ● 800-536-2GET ● www.georgiaexperience.com
Blackline Masters Book
©Carole Marsh/Gallopade International ● 800-536-2GET ● www.georgiaexperience.com