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National Inventors Hall of Fame National Inventors Hall of Fame
Eli Whitney Eli Whitney
Cotton Gin Cotton Gin

Eli Whitney

Eli Whitney
Although the invention of the cotton gin changed history, its inventor, Eli Whitney, did not reap much of a profit. The gin made cotton cleaning so efficient that the crop became a primary enterprise for the South. However, patent disputes and supply problems kept Whitney from successfully producing the cotton gin. His later venture into arms manufacturing was more fruitful, and Whitney became a strong promoter of mass production and interchangeable parts.
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Whitney, Eli
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