Eli Whitney: American Inventor
This is a biography of Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin, which revolutionized cotton production in the south. His application of standardized parts to the production of weapons and other machines was a major influence in the development of industry.
Economic Concepts
- Productivity
- Labor
- Capital Resources
- Profit
- Loss
Grade Levels
- Intermediate (4-6)
Related Subjects
- U.S. History
- Geography
- Entrepreneurship
Description of Lesson 8, How Eli Whitney Made Cotton King
From Adventures in Economic and U.S. History, Volume 2
Students explore why many Southern planters and farmers chose to grow cotton. They calculate increases in productivity resulting from the cotton gin and learn how they increased the profits and prosperity of cotton growers and made cotton king. The success of southern cotton plantations in the southeastern states encouraged people to buy land and establish plantations westward to Texas. This expansion in cotton growth increased demand for labor. Since nearly all labor on plantations was done by people who were enslaved, the spread of cotton plantations increased the demand for slaves.