Question: Where Does The Saying Cotton On Come From?

Why is the cotton gin so important?

The gin improved the separation of the seeds and fibers but the cotton still needed to be picked by hand.

The demand for cotton roughly doubled each decade following Whitney’s invention.


Was the cotton gin good or bad?

Invented in 1793, the cotton gin changed history for good and bad. By allowing one field hand to do the work of 10, it powered a new industry that brought wealth and power to the American South — but, tragically, it also multiplied and prolonged the use of slave labor.

Where is the cotton gin used today?

The modern cotton ginning process has continued in Georgia and the Southeast and can also be found in the major cotton producing areas of the southwestern United States and overseas. Now, almost every person has clothing made of cotton.

What did the slaves eat?


Do slaves get paid?


What does not cotton mean?

A listener from Dallas wonders about the origin of “I don’t cotton to,” meaning “I’m not in favor of” or “I don’t get along with.” Though it sounds like a classic Southern phrase, Martha traces it all the way back to England, where the verb to cotton had to do with textile work.

What does cotton gin mean?

: a machine that separates the seeds, hulls, and foreign material from cotton.

Who picks cotton?

Manual picking of cotton is prevalent in the remaining counties that produce it. China still 100% hand picks its cotton harvest as does India. Other major cotton producing countries that still use a large manual labor force for picking cotton as it was done in America in the 1800’s include Pakistan, Turkey and Brazil.

How long is a cotton picking second?

99 secondsHow Long Is A Cotton Picking Minute?OptionTimeFirst accepted answerAny time longer than 1 minuteSecond accepted answer99 seconds

Did slaves pick cotton?

Many slaves were engaged in construction of roads and railroads. Most slave labor, however, was used in planting, cultivating, and harvesting cotton, hemp, rice, tobacco, or sugar cane.

How long did slaves pick cotton?


What is the meaning of cotton on?

informal. : to begin to understand something : to catch on It took a while, but they are finally starting to cotton on.

What’s a cotton picking minute?

Summary. The expression what a cotton picking minute means Hold on for a damn moment! It shows anger or other strong feelings, and cotton picking is a substitute for stronger curse words. It may have racist connotations for some.