Cotton Gin
Definition
The cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation. It was invented by Eli Whitney in 1793.
Analogy
Imagine you're at a party with a bowl full of mixed M&Ms and Skittles. You only want the M&Ms but picking them out one by one would take forever. A cotton gin is like having a magical device that can instantly separate all the M&Ms (cotton fibers) from the Skittles (seeds).
Related terms
Eli Whitney: He was an American inventor best known for inventing the cotton gin which revolutionized the cotton industry in the United States.
Plantation System: This was an economic system in the Southern states of U.S., based on large-scale agriculture worked by slaves. The efficiency of the cotton gin increased profitability, leading to expansion of this system.
Slavery: A social-economic system under which certain persons — known as slaves — are deprived of personal freedom and compelled to perform labor or services. The demand for slave labor increased significantly after the invention of the cotton gin due to its effect on increasing profitability of cotton production.
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