History Group
Question:
beeman
Student
High School - 9th Grade
What is the cotton gin and who invented it?
I can't find anything about him at the library, and there are no good web sites about him.
Answers:
-
alquan3 Student
High School - 10th GradePosted by alquan3 on Friday February 20, 2009 at 11:44 AMThe cotton gin (engine) was a machine that allowed southern farmers to grow short-fiber cotton for profit. Boomed the production of cottin and produced an need for more slaves increasing slavery. The inventor was Eli Whitley.
-
ladyvols1 Teacher
High School - 9th GradeeNotes Editor
Posted by ladyvols1 on Friday February 20, 2009 at 10:12 PMEli Whitney was the inventor of the Cotton Gin. He invented this revolutionary machine in 1793. It was considered a boon for production of cotton fiber for the south because it was an automated way to separate the seed from the cotton. Up until the invention of the cotton gin the seeds had to be separated from the cotton by hand. After the invention cotton could be put into the machine and the seeds were separated much faster and much cleaner than had ever been done before.
"In 1793 Whitney made a cotton-cleaning machine that was operated by turning a crank, which rotated a cylinder covered with wire teeth. The teeth pulled the cotton fiber, carrying it through slots in the cylinder as it revolved. Since the slots were too small for the seeds, the seeds were left behind. A roller with brushes then removed the fibers from the wire teeth. In one day, a single cotton gin operated by one person could clean as much cotton as fifty slaves had processed in a day's time. "
Sources:
-
sutor Student
High School - 10th GradePosted by sutor on Sunday June 14, 2009 at 1:32 PMThe cotton gin is a machine that automated the separation of cottonseed from the short-staple cotton fiber and was invented by Eli Whiteny March 14, 1794.
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
