Cotton gin

Berta Amorós Llonch&

Pol Felip Fernández

Cotton gin

A cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates the cotton fibers from the seeds, a job previously done by

hand.

How did it work?The cotton gin was a very simple invention. First, the cotton bolls were put into the top of the machine.

How did it work?Next, you turn the handle, which turns the cotton through the wire teeth that combs out the seeds. Then the cotton is pulled out of the wire teeth and out of the cotton gin.

Eli Wihtney

Eli Whitney (1765-1825) was an American inventor, best known for inventing the cotton gin, which was part of the development of the American Industrial Revolution. Whitney's invention of the cotton gin exemplifies one of the many mechanical highly important advances of the time, but there is little doubt that the concept of creating tools to produce interchangeable parts was the greatest innovation of this period. One of other contributions to the industry of the United States was importing the manufacturing system and the assembly line.

When did Eli Withney invent the cotton gin ?

• Eli Whitney invented this simple machine in 1792. This little machine allowed the separation at high speed and economically the fibers from the seeds, and could supply the growing demand for raw cotton after the invention of the Power Loom.

What did it mean?

It allowed a dramatic growth of the production of cotton fiber and avoided a lack of it. It also introduced the mechanization of spinning, which ended up assuming a large increase in production at a lower unit price. Consequently, the demand of such goods increased and the cotton production from the South of USA boosted.