The Cotton Gin Can a few pieces of wood, a few thin metal teeth, a wooden wheel and some brushes be able to change an entire country in a negative way? The cotton gin did exactly that. It was such a simple invention, so effective, arriving at the right time and capable of revolutionizing the world. It was invented by Eli Whitney when America was just 10 years old. At that time America needed a more profitable product to sell than tobacco. America was trying to make itself known in the global market. The problem brought by the cotton gin was that it significantly increased the American economy and their presence in the global market. America was now a country capable of mass-producing cotton. This new market needed manpower to exploit its full potential. The creation of the cotton gin began with small beginnings but ended up changing daily life at the time for many years to come. The modern cotton gin was created by Eli Whitney in 1793 and patented a year later in 1794. The invention occurred exactly 10 years after the United States was first seen as an independent country. The American Revolution was now over, but the country was essentially in ruins. The war had disrupted many trade routes that America had due to the war with Great Britain, and the newly reopened trade could not repair the hole in the economy. After the war, France was America's closest ally, but now it was also in a difficult economic situation and going through its own revolution. Finally, the largest American production was tobacco. Tobacco would only grow in the northern part of the country, demand was now lower and the market was too saturated. ...... middle of paper ...... but would ultimately lead to the oppression of an entire race and the deaths of thousands upon thousands of Americans. Eli Whitney's reputation remains that of a great inventor. After all, he didn't realize what the cotton gin would do to slavery. His inventions not only changed the American economy, but also shaped the country into what it is today. His little cotton gin led to the American Industrial Revolution that made the country stronger as a whole. George 6Work Cited Schur, Joan, New York, New York Accessed May 22, 2014 http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/cotton-gin -patent/History.com Staff, published 2010, accessed May 22, 2014http: //www.history.com/topics/inventions/cotton-gin-and-eli-whitneyMIT Web, published August 2000, accessed May 22, 2014http: //web.mit.edu/invent/iow/whitney.html