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The Cotton Gin And Its Effects On The American Economy

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The invention of the cotton gin lead to revolutionary changes in the American economy as cotton became an extremely profitable business. Without Eli Whitney inventing the cotton gin, the production of cotton would have been tremendously inauspicious. This invention made it so a piece of machinery could separate cotton from its seeds. This mechanism saved a lot of time, produce more cotton, but overall had a positive effect on the economy. “Without cotton you have no modern industry.” The cotton gin, created by Eli Whitney, was a piece of machinery which would separate the seeds from the cotton. The cotton would be placed through a wooden “drum” which would catch the fibers on hooks. The cotton would then be dragged through mesh, going through with ease while the seeds were too big to pass. Small gins could be used by hand while the larger ones were powered by horse or a steam engine. …show more content…

Cotton was used to make clothes and print money. Having a high demand for cotton took off pressure from the growing tobacco industry in the South. The cotton industry was so successful in the South as it consisted of the best climate for the cotton’s growth. Cotton played a huge role in America as it “encompasses finance, international trade, global business, race, migration and immigration, government subsidy and regulation, technology, industrialization, global shifts in manufacturing, and supply and demand dynamics.” Whitney’s introduction of the cotton gin made for a very profitable business. In a letter to his father, Whitney stated, “One man and a horse will do more than

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