Eli Whitney was a pioneer for his time. Whitney created a revolution of change for both the North and the South. In this paper you will learn a little about Whitney, the Cotton Gin, and Interchangeable parts. Each invention played a large role in changing the economics of each region. They brought a revolution to America.
Eli Whitney was born December 8, 1765 in Westboro, Massachusetts. As a child he was very expressive with his talent for inventing. Whitney was able to create machines that would mimic a job done by hand. During his youth, Whitney was a blacksmith. At one time he was the only producer of lady's hat pins.
Attaining a degree during his time was usually for those that were studying law or theology. Whitney, against the wishes of his parents, was determined to get a degree from Yale University. He entered Yale at the age of twenty-three. To pay his way through school he taught classes at Yale. After graduating at the age of twenty-eight he remained a teacher at Yale. Whitney, realizing that no career existed for the profession that he wanted, excepted a position as a tutor in South Carolina.
On the trip to South Carolina Whitney met the widow of Nathaniel Greene. After arriving in South Carolina he found that the wage he was guaranteed was going to be cut in half. Whitney refused the position. With no job he accepted an offer from Mrs. Greene to be an assistant to the plantation manager and to read law. Slavery was becoming less popular in the South. Hard times were becoming very common. Farmers did not rotate crops because land was so cheap. They had to move farther west each time. The farther west they went the harder is was to grow cotton. The plantation owners were forced to grow a green seed variety of cotton. This was virtually useless because it took so much to clean the cotton. Mrs. Greene suggested that Eli Whitney invent something to aid in the cleaning of cotton.
