Which of the following contributed the MOST to the xpansion of African slavery in North America during the late eighteenth century?

The late eighteenth century saw an exponential rise in the demand for labor-intensive crops like cotton and tobacco, which fueled the expansion of African slavery in North America. The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793 drastically increased cotton production efficiency, leading to a booming economy in the South that relied heavily on enslaved labor. This innovation solidified slavery as a critical economic institution, particularly in the Southern states. Additionally, the transatlantic slave trade was at its peak during this time, with European powers such as Britain and Portugal shipping thousands of enslaved Africans to the Americas. This influx provided plantations with a steady and cheap labor force, making the brutal practice of slavery an engrained part of North American society and economy, resulting in long-lasting social implications.