Profession: Inventor of the Cotton Gin
Why Famous: Best known for inventing the cotton gin, which was one of the key inventions of the Industrial Revolution and shaped the economy of the Antebellum South. His invention strengthened the economic foundation of slavery in the United States.
- 1793-10-28 Eli Whitney applies for a patent on cotton gin
- 1794-03-14 Eli Whitney patents the cotton gin machine revolutionizing the cotton industry in the southern US states
- 1799-01-14 Eli Whitney receives government contract for 10,000 muskets