Eli Whitney
Definition
Eli Whitney was an American inventor best known for inventing the cotton gin. This key invention played a significant role in shaping the Southern economy of the United States.
Related terms
Industrial Revolution: A period from 1750 to 1850 where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and transport had a profound effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions starting in the United Kingdom, then subsequently spreading throughout Europe.
Cotton Gin: A machine invented by Eli Whitney that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.
Slavery: The state of being under the control of someone where a person (the slave) is forced to work for another (the master). The invention of Cotton Gin increased the demand for slaves in Southern America.
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