cotton gin
william king
cotton gin
How does the invention work?
hand operated
What is the purpose of the invention?
speeding up the process of removing seeds from cotton fiber.
When did the invention occur?
In 1794
Where did the invention occur
on a cotton farm
Why was there a need for this invention?
cotton had become America's leading export
Why is this invention important in history?
Despite its success, the gin made little money for Whitney due to patent-infringement issues. Also, his invention offered Southern planters a justification to maintain and expand slavery even as a growing number of Americans supported its abolition. Based in part on his reputation for creating the cotton gin, Whitney later secured a major contract to build muskets for the U.S. government Through this project, he promoted the idea of interchangeable parts--standardized, identical parts that made for faster assembly and easier repair of various devices. For his work, he is credited as a pioneer of American manufacturing