Eli Whitney was an American inventor, engineer, and
manufacturer, famously known for his invention of the cotton gin. He created a machine
that was used in removing seeds from cotton fiber. It was one of the key inventions
of the Industrial Revolution.
EARLY LIFE
Eli Whitney was born on December 8, 1765, in Massachusetts
to Eli Whitney, Sr. and Elizabeth. His father was a farmer who had an interest
in mechanical work. Because of his father, Eli turned towards machinery and
technology at an early age.
Eli started to work while pursuing his studies to support his family. He used to build different devices. He helped his father on the farm and also worked as a school teacher to earn more money.
ELI WHITNEY EDUCATION
After completing his high school education, he attended Yale
College. In 1792, he graduated from college. Eli wanted to become a lawyer. However,
he struggled financially and had to tutor in South Carolina. Fortunately, he
got an invitation to stay with Catherine Greene in 1755. The lady wanted Eli to
visit her plantation Mulberry Grove, in Georgia. It was the first time Eli
learned about cotton production. He realized that cotton farmers faced many difficulties
in making a living.
ELI WHITNEY INVENTIONS 'COTTON GIN'
At the time, farming
the cotton crop was the primary source of income for people. It was easy to
grow and could be stored for a long period of time. The main problem was separating
the cotton seeds from the soft fiber. It took a lot of time and labor for this
kind of work. The average person could remove the seeds from only about one
pound of cotton per day, which was a very small amount. Greene shared the problem
of the short-staple cotton with Whitney.
Catherine Greene helped Whitney to build the machine that was
able to quickly and efficiently clean the cotton plants, and a machine called
the 'cotton gin', in which the word 'gin' stood for the word 'engine'.
His machine could clean up to 55 pounds of cotton daily. This helped massively
in America's economic development. The machine worked like a filter in which
cotton was run through a wooden drum installed with a series of hooks that
caught the fibers. Then the fibers were removed through a net, leaving the clean
cotton behind.
Whitney presented his cotton gin to the common people. They were amazed to see that the machine could clean a large amount of cotton in less than an hour. People liked his device and wanted to utilize it for their own businesses. Whitney finally patented his invention in 1794. In just a few months, he started a cotton gin manufacturing company. He planned to install cotton gins throughout the country and charged farmers a small amount for each plantation.
The farmers welcomed the invention, but they refused to share
a percentage of their profits with Whitney. As a result, the farmers made their
own cotton gins and Whitney's invention was pirated. Many of them were an improved
version of Whitney's original model. He sadly couldn't protect his invention
from being pirated. The patent law at the time lacked in protecting the
inventor's rights. But, as more people started to use the cotton gin by the mid-nineteenth
century, cotton became America's leading trade.
ELI WHITNEY OTHER INVENTION AND CONTRIBUTION
The piracy debacle did not deter Whitney and he continued to
invent many more devices and machines. In 1798, he signed a contract with the
US government to produce arms and weapons. He was asked to make 10,000 pieces of
military equipment in two years to help the government in the war against
France. But it eventually took Whitney around ten years to actually develop
those many devices. After fulfilling the government's demand, he soon received
another order for 15,000 pieces of military equipment, which he managed to
supply in two years. Whitney's great contribution has led him to be called
the 'Father of American Technology. He was recognized for inventing the
first milling machine.
Whitney got married to Henrietta Edwards in 1817. The couple
had four children. His wife belonged to high society, and it helped Whitney to
progress to an elite class. Whitney
died at the age of 59 in 1825 due to
cancer, in New Haven.
FAQ
Que: What did Eli Whitney invent?
Ans: Cotton Gin
Que: Eli Whitney's contribution?
Ans: In 1798, he signed a contract with the US government to produce arms and weapons. After fulfilling the government's demand, he soon received another order for 15,000 pieces of military equipment, which he managed to supply in two years. Whitney's great contribution has led him to be called the 'Father of American Technology.
Que: Who is the father of American technology?
Ans: Eli Whitney
