Eli Whitney: American Inventor Book

A biography of the inventor of the cotton gin, whose application of standardized parts to the production of weapons and other machines was a major influence in the development ...

Children's Literature

This series entry explores the life of a major figure at the time the nation was young (1801-1861), using full-color as well as black-and-white historical photographs and illustrations, authentic documents, and factual, engaging text. Staying on his girl friend's Georgia plantation, New Englander Eli Whitney got the idea of inventing a machine that would separate the cotton fibers from seeds and chaff. His cotton gin changed agriculture in the South, making cotton its most important crop. Whitney also developed a system of mass-production that enabled goods, such as muskets in his gun factory, to be produced quickly and ushered the American version of the Industrial Revolution. His tenacity in the face of setbacks, constant improvements of machines, and the vagaries of patent law that gave him few profits from his invention, are also mentioned. The book ends with a jump to modern assembly lines that will help students make the connection. A table of contents, glossary, bibliography and index are included as well as a map and timeline, quotations from primary sources, and a publisher's omnibus Internet Web site that will be up to date with current information. The book is a good addition to the middle school shelf and features an involving format sure to interest both less able and eager readers. Part of the series, "Let Freedom Ring: The New Nation Biographies." 2003, Bridgestone Books,