Eli Whitney

Eli Whitney attended Yale College in 1789 at age 23, and in 1793, he invented the cotton gin. This machine played a large role in the Industrial Revolution. Unfortunately, when it was invented, nobody, not even Whitney himself, realized that the cotton gin would revitalize slavery. Whitney's invention helped the cotton industry just when the South was suffering economic problems. The cotton gin (short for cotton engine) was a machine for getting seeds out of cotton. Where before the seeds had to be picked by hand, slaves used the machines to significantly increase production.

Later, Whitney became quite famous for building muskets with interchangeable parts. These were the easiest and fastest guns to make. They became very popular due to their lower cost. There were good and bad things about these guns. Because they were easier to make, large quantities could be produced in a short period of time. This factor became important during the American Civil War. The quality of the guns, though, were not as good as those which were hand made. Choosing between quality and quantity, factory owners chose quantity. Whitney's interchangeable muskets became almost as popular as his cotton gin.