home

=**Biography of Eli Whitney Inventor of the Cotton Gin **=

[[image:eliwhitneycottongin/Eli_Whitney.jpg width="212" height="274" align="right"]]
===**Born December, 8th, 1765 Westborough Massachusetts there he was raised and worked with his dad manufacturing nails during the Revolutionary War. When Eli was older he worked as a Farm Worker and Teacher to raise money to go to Yale University. Eli Was about to go to law but fell short of funds and could not afford it. **=== ===**Catherine Littlefield Greene invited him to her and her husbands plantation where Eli and her husband Phineas Miller became buisness partners and to speed up sperating Cotton Eli created the Cotton Gin. **=== ===**Eli Whitney said he was inspired when he saw a cat reaching through a fence trying topull the chicken through but it could only pull some of the feathers through the fence. While on the Greenes Plantation trying to think of device that would allow the cotton but nott the seeds to be pulled apart. **=== ===**The Problem Eli was trying to fix with the Cotton Gin was that seperating the Cotton from the seeds took to long. Eli Whitney also had trouble getting a patent for his new invention the Cotton Gin. **=== ===**He got the Patent on March, 14, 1794 but his Patent was not validated until 1807 many people say that Whitney endured a "Patent Battle" in which he had the Patent but it was not validated until 13 years after receiving the Patent. **===

Mary Bellis. "The Cotton Gin and Eli Whitney." //About.com Inventors//. Web. 9 May 2012. [].

"Invent Now | Hall of Fame | Search | Inventor Profile." //Invent Now | Hall of Fame | Search | Inventor Profile//. Web. 9 May 2012. [].

"Teaching With Documents:Eli Whitney's Patent for the Cotton Gin." //Eli Whitney's Patent for the Cotton Gin//. Web. 9 May 2012. [].]

=Economic Impact of the Cotton Gin=

==The Cost to make the Cotton Gin was $30 which was worth far more back then was worth $732 that means that every current dollar bill was worth $24.40 His Invention the Cotton Gin was financed by Catherine Littlefield Greene and her wealthy plantation owner husband Phineas Miller.== ==They spent less money because once they bought it that was it they made large amounts of cotton and Eli didn't make much of a financial gain The Invention effected the economy greatly before the south was not makeing that much money but now with this new invention they made money which boosted the souths economy which even more required the need for slaves and the slave trade which was also booming.== ==Yes the Cotton GIn was very expensive for it's time considering that members of congress made only $42 every week compare to a $30 Cotton Gin. So it was expensive for the time and it increased the economy and made the U.S. have a economic milestone.== ==In Fact there probably might not have been a civil war if the cotton gin wasn't invented because the souths economy was doing terrible and they might not have been able to fight if their economy was so bad but the cotton gin boosted it which gave them money for supplies such as ammo, food, and other things that would be needed in the war. The price for slaves rose also because more slaves were needed on the plantation due to the work that was created by the cotton gin.== ==So it fixed the Economy in the south for a short time but then it collapsed from dept in war and was the cause of thousands of lifes being lost in a war that most likely never would of happened if it were not invented also it increased the need for slaves which was particularly low for the time before the cotton gin was invented as you can see in the charts and diagrams below so the cotton gin increased the economy but for the most part caused pain and suffering. == =Cultural Impact of the Cotton Gin=



1765- Eli Whitney is Born

1792-Eli Whitney Graduates from Yale College

1793-Eli starts to design his new invention the Cotton Gin 1794- Filed a Patent for His Cotton Gin

1797- Other Manufacturing Companies copy the design and eventually run them out of buisness

1807- Finally Has his Patent Validated 13 years after his "Patent Battle"

===The Invention changed the lifes of people drastically because it boosted the economy causing a economic milestone and a civil war in which thousands of United States Citezens died plus that caused the south to be in a terrible debt due to war funds so it had a really negative effect after about 50 years of its creation debt and war with the south and also it increased slaves because of the need for work after it was invented.=== ===It caused misery and suffering but before that a financial profit was made which boosted the souths economy before the civil war but it also increased the need for slaves which must have been a terrible feeling for them to be seperated from their loved ones and beaten into submission being forced to work.=== ===It was basically accepted right away because it dramatically decreased work loads and increased cotton production in the south in fact other companioes stole the design of the cotton gin and ran Eli and Phineas out of buisness so Eli did not make a financial gain and that they could sell it because it was really popular.=== ===The patent obtaining process was actually very long and rigorous for Eli Whitney because he did not get his patent 13 years after he filed for one hince the nickname people gave to his dilema "Patent Battle" he received his patent after he went out of buisness so it was of no use to him and it must have been a terrible feeling.=== ===The Cultural Impact was great because with slaves brought over their customs came with them and mixed in some southern areas such as New Orleans which has a great deal of mixed culture from both races. Such as art, religion, culinary dishes and etc. So it had some posotive effects as well as well as some negative effects.===