How important was slavery to the economy of the South? Discuss its effects on agriculture, industry, politics, society and any other relevant aspects of the South. 1. Agriculturally and economically, white Southerners increased the effective use of slave labor thanks to Eli Whitney’s cotton gin. The cotton gin processed picked cotton faster than human hands and doubled the volume of cotton they grew. As Britain and France’s interest for textiles they traded around the world increased, American investors saw this as an opportunity for the fertile lands of central Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Politically, on December 13, 1835, a petition was urged to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia. Describe the various facets and accomplishments