Eli Whitney Jr. was an American inventor who is best known for inventing the cotton gin in 1793, one of the key inventions of the Industrial Revolution.

Eli Whitney’s cotton gin made upland short cotton a profitable crop, which strengthened the economic foundation of slavery in the United States and prolonged the institution.

Eli Whitney’s cotton gin invention made upland short cotton a profitable crop, which significantly impacted the economy of the Antebellum South and prolonged the institution of slavery in the United States.

Despite the success of his cotton gin invention, Eli Whitney lost much of his profits in legal battles over patent infringement for the cotton gin.

After facing legal issues with the cotton gin, Eli Whitney turned his attention to securing contracts with the government in the manufacture of muskets for the newly formed United States Army, and he continued making arms and inventing until his death in 1825.

Eli Whitney Jr. was born on December 8, 1765, and he died on January 8, 1825.

Eli Whitney’s cotton gin was one of the key inventions of the Industrial Revolution that shaped the economy of the Antebellum South.