Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin Essay - 748 Words

Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin Eli Whitney : Eli Whitney was the inventor of the cotton gin and a pioneer in the mass production of cotton. Whitney was born in Westboro , Massachusetts., on Dec. 8, 1765, and died on Jan. 8, 1825. He graduated from Yale College in 1792. By April 1793, Whitney had designed and constructed the cotton gin, a machine that automated the separation of cottonseed from the short-staple cotton fiber. Eli Whitneys machine could produce up to 23 kg (50 lb) of cleaned cotton daily, making southern cotton a profitable crop for the first time, but Whitney failed to profit from his invention, imitations of his machine appeared, and his 1794 invention was not upheld until 1807. Eli Whitney and his business†¦show more content†¦Ironically, it was as a manufacturer of muskets that Whitney finally became rich. Background on the Cotton Gin The cotton gin is a device for removing the seeds from cotton fiber. Simple devices for that purpose have been around for centuries, an East Indian machine called a charka was used to separate the seeds from the lint when the fiber was pulled through a set of rollers. The charka was designed to work with long-staple cotton, but American cotton is short-staple cotton. The cottonseed in Colonial America was removed by hand, usually the work of slaves. Eli Whitneys machine was the first to clean short-staple cotton. His cotton engine consisted of spiked teeth mounted on a boxed revolving cylinder which, when turned by a crank, pulled the cotton fiber through small slotted openings so as to separate the seeds from the lint -- a rotating brush, operated via a belt and pulleys, removed the fibrous lint from the projecting spikes. The gins later became horse-drawn and water-powered gins and cotton production increased, along with lowered costs. Cotton soon became the number one selling textile. After the invention of the cotton gin, the yield of raw cotton doubled each decade after 1800. Demand was fueled by other inventions of the Industrial Revolution, such as the machines to spin and weave it and the steamboat to transport it. By mid-century America was growing three-quarters of the worlds supply of cotton, mostShow MoreRelatedEli Whitney : The Inventor Of The Cotton Gin1639 Words   |  7 PagesEli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin, was born in 1765, and from an early age he was interested in mechanics. He developed a knack for making nails and became one of the best nail makers (Piercy, 94). Whitney attended Yale College to further his education, with the goal of becoming a lawyer; he graduated in 1792 (Piercy, 94). After graduating, he planned to go to the South to tutor kids, but found that the position had been taken once he arrived there (Piercy, 95). A woman named Mrs. GreeneRead MoreThe Slavery Of The Cotton Gin By Eli Whitney1586 Words   |  7 Pages In the 1790’s the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney sparked an increase in cotton production in the South. The cotton gin decreased the labor time it took to pick seeds from the cotton. Slave owners moved or sold their slaves to deep Southern states where cotton was becoming increasingly profitable. The United States doubled in size due to President Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase. Within this territory the Cotton Kingdom led in cotton production. Slaves were chained togetherRead MoreThe Invention Of The Cotton Gin By Eli Whitney1169 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the colonial era, African slaves faced a life of struggle and fear. In 1793, the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney revolutionized economy as well as American slavery. This new machinery enabled the separation of the seeds from the cotton, making the cotton production increase extremely. 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At the time he invented the engine Whitney lived with Catherine Greene, a widowed plantation owner. While staying with Greene, Whitney learned a lot about the production of cotton. He learned it was a tedious, time consuming and labor intensive job. Whitney was a graduate of Yale and was talented in the ï ¬ eld of mechanics and inventive engineering. Eli’s solution was simple, an engine that separated the cotton afterRead MoreEli Whitney : An American Originator And Constructer1363 Words   |  6 Pagesanyone to survive: sustenance, housing, and clothing. Eli Whitney, an American originator and constructer, is a major supplier to the last of these requirements. Whitney, a gentleman of great grit and a victim of ill-fated circumstances, is best recalled as the creator of the cotton gin. His creation, coupled with the advance of the textile industry by Samuel Slater, led to a cotton revolution. (Benson) Born on December 8, 1765, Eli Whitney spent his primary years on his family’s farm in WestboroughRead MoreThe Cotton Gin’s Impact on American Industry and Slavery Essay731 Words   |  3 Pagesto make cotton profitable. He promptly began working on a solution to the problem of separating the seeds from the cotton. On March 14, 1794, Eli Whitney was granted a patent for the cotton gin.1 The cotton gin impacted American industry and slavery changing the course of American history. The cotton gin was the answer to the 19th Century farmer’s woes. Before the invention of the cotton gin, not only was raising of cotton very labor intensive, but separating the fiber from the cotton seed itselfRead MoreThe Cotton Gin And The Assembly Line1494 Words   |  6 PagesThe cotton gin and the assembly line may seem at first glance like they are not that important but their lasting effects explain why things like manufacturing operate the way they do today. The cotton gin is a simple box. It has gears and a screen that with a crank on it that, when turned, is used to separate the cotton seeds from the cotton. The assembly line involves a pathway where a car or other item moves from station to station. A specially trained worker at each station will work on one specificRead MoreThe Cause of the Civil War: Eli Whitneys Cotton Gin Essay1790 Words   |  8 Pageswhich changed the course of history. In 1792, Eli Whitney visited the plantation of Catherine Greene, the wife of Revolutionary War general, Nathaniel Greene, near Savannah Georgia. He watched cotton being cleaned; a very long and time consuming process to do by hand. Watching the cotton being cleaned an idea came to Whitney. He decided he would build a machine that would clean cotton faster than it could be done by hand. Thus, he created the cotton gin. This invention changed the way the SouthRead MoreWhy Whitney Never Made It For All Things Mechanical1443 Words   |  6 PagesAs a young boy growing up in Westboro, Massachusetts it became clear that young Eli Whitney had a passion for all things mechanical. Born in 1765, Whitney spent his childhood on the family farm, however he was fascinated with machine work and technology. By age 12 it was more than apparent where Whitney’s passion was centered, he had already been tinkering with his father’s watch, taking it completely apart and re-assembling it as well as building his own violin. He even started his own business