Eli Whitney
American inventor (1765ā1825) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Eli Whitney?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Eli Whitney Jr. (December 8, 1765 ā 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]
Eli Whitney | |
---|---|
Born | December 8, 1765 (1765-12-08) |
Died | January 8, 1825 (1825-01-09) (aged 59) New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. |
Education | Yale College |
Occupation | Engineer |
Children | 4 |
Parent(s) | Eli Whitney, Elizabeth Fay |
Relatives | Whitney family |
Engineering career | |
Projects | Interchangeable parts, cotton gin |
Signature | |
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.