Eli Whitney

Eli Whitney was born in Westboro, Massachusetts. He was educated at Yale College.

Why was Eli Whitney famous? He was famous because he invented the cotton gin. The cotton gin was a machine that would separate seeds from the fibers of the short staple plant. Eli Whitney was a hero to all cotton farmers, because all work until then was done by hand.

Plus in my opinion when Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. He made it in or near the Revolutionary War. That means cotton and food value were lowered. So the cotton gin allowed the cotton farmers to make and grow more cotton. So now the cotton farmers can get more money.

Whitney entered into partnership with a plantation manager. Phineas Miller, to manufacture cotton gins at New Haven, Connecticut. A disastrous factory fire prevented them to make more cotton gins to meet their demands.

When Eli went to get a patent in Philadelphia. It was denied. After all that he still didn't give. In 1798 Eli Whitney turned to the large-scale manufacture of firearms. After signing a contract to supply the federal government to make 100,000 military muskets, he built a factory near New Haven, at the present day Hamden, in which he experimented with a system of manufacturing standardized and inchargible parts.

As you read this report you have learned about a great inventor and a hard worker. You might probably think what does this have to do with why he was famous. Well I am trying to tell you he never gave up even through the fire and the patent. I think, that makes him an American hero and I hope many other people learn about Eli Whitney.

Mankaran Sawhney
USA