Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, a simple device that transformed both agricultural and industrial America. The gin itself comprised a rotating drum with wire hooks or ratchet-like teeth that pulled cotton fibers between the teeth of a comb. The comb had teeth spaced too closely for seeds to pass through. read more
Up front, the cotton gin separated the seeds from the lint of the cotton boll. This worked by a series of intermeshing saw blades that combed the seeds out of the lint, and then combed the lint off the blade teeth. read more
Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin helped lead to the Civil War by making it possible to produce more cotton, thus increasing the profitability of huge cotton plantations in the South. These large plantations needed large numbers of workers in order to operate. read more
This changed dramatically, of course, with the advent of the cotton gin. Suddenly cotton became a lucrative crop and a major export for the South. However, because of this increased demand, many more slaves were needed to grow cotton and harvest the fields. Slave ownership became a fiery national issue and eventually led to the Civil War. read more