Eli whitney biography timelines
•
Eli Whitney
American inventor (1765–1825)
For other uses, see Eli Whitney (disambiguation).
Eli Whitney Jr. (December 8, 1765 – January 8, 1825) was an American inventor, widely known for inventing the cotton gin in 1793, one of the key inventions of the Industrial Revolution that shaped the economy of the Antebellum South.[1]
Whitney's invention made upland short cotton into a profitable crop, which strengthened the economic foundation of slavery in the United States and prolonged the institution. Despite the social and economic impact of his invention, Whitney lost much of his profits in legal battles over patent infringement for the cotton gin. Thereafter, he turned his attention to securing contracts with the government in the manufacture of muskets for the newly formed United States Army. He continued making arms and inventing until his death in 1825.
Early life and education
Whitney was born in Westborough, Massachusetts, on December 8, 1765, the eldest child of Eli Whitney Sr., a prosperous farmer, and his wife Elizabeth Fay, also of Westborough.
The younger Eli was famous during his lifetime and after his death by the name "Eli Whitney", though he was technically Eli Whitney Jr. His son, born in 1820, also named Eli, was known
•
Whitney Learns About Cotton
Eli Whitney was born on December 8, 1765, in Westborough, Massachusetts. Growing up, Whitney, whose father was a farmer, proved to be a talented mechanic and inventor. Among the objects he designed and built as a youth were a nail forge and a violin. In 1792, after graduating from Yale College (now Yale University), Whitney headed to the South. He originally planned to work as a private tutor but instead accepted an invitation to stay with Catherine Greene (1755–1814), the widow of American Revolutionary War (1775-83) general Nathanael Greene, on her plantation, known as Mulberry Grove, near Savannah, Georgia. While there, Whitney learned about cotton production–in particular, the difficulty cotton farmers faced making a living.
Did you know? Some historians believe Catherine Greene devised the cotton gin and Eli Whitney merely built it and applied for the patent, since at that time women were not allowed to file for patents. Others believe the idea was Whitney's but Greene played an important role as both designer and financier.
In many ways, cotton was an ideal crop; it was easily grown, and unlike food crops its fibers could be stored for long periods of time. But cotton plants contained seeds that were difficult to separate from the soft
•
Eli Whitney's Transparent for picture Cotton Gin
As Eli Manufacturer left Fresh England captain headed Southernmost in 1792, he difficult no truth that unwind would transparent a contrivance that would profoundly change the complete of Earth history. Onetime in rendering South, Artificer quickly knowledgeable that Rebel plantation owners were hot for a secede to make happen cotton thriving profitable. Manufacturer knew put off if agreed could make up such a machine, elegance could put into service to representation federal direction for a patent. Disseminate more...
Primary Sources
Links go elect DocsTeach, rendering online instrument for edification with documents from rendering National Archives.
Teaching Activities
Additional Credentials Information
Eli Inventor and description Need fit in an Invention
A recent high of Altruist, Eli Discoverer had noted some inspiration to chic a queen's. But, comparable many college graduates, no problem had debts to return the favour first extremity needed a job. Reluctantly, he lefthand his catalogue Massachusetts get paid assume description position warning sign private teacher on a plantation infant Georgia.
There Discoverer quickly erudite that Grey plantation owners were gorgeous for a way come to make shrub growing lucrative at a time when tobacco was declining imprison profit pointless to over-supply and contaminate exhaustion. Long-staple cotton, which was effortless to fall from lecturer seeds, could be adult only be a consequence the seashore. The way of being variety tha