Eli Whitney (1765-1825) and the Cotton Gin

Eli Whitney was an inventor.  He is best known for inventing the cotton gin.  This invention made it much easier to pick cotton and helped to make cotton a very profitable crop in the American South. 

eBooks:

• It's My State!: Connecticut by Michael Burgan (page 36) (available through Destiny Discover)

• N is for Nutmeg: A Connecticut Alphabet by Elissa D. Grodin (Letter W) (available through Epic!)

• Exploring the States: Connecticut by Emily Rose Oaches (page 26) (available through Epic!)

• Eli Whitney video (available on Epic!)

Encyclopedias: 

• Britannica School (Level 1 and 2 articles)

• PebbleGo Biographies

• Fact Monster (Challenge)

• Fact Monster Article 2 (Challenge)

Articles:

• Eli Whitney

• Cotton Gin

Websites:

• Connecticut Project Helper (page 7)

• Mr. Nussbaum Eli Whitney Biography

• Ducksters: Eli Whitney Biography

• Biography.com Eli Whitney Biography

• Cotton Gin Video

• Eli Whitney's Patent

• ConnecticutHistory.org

  • Eli Whitney

  • North and South: The Legacy of Eli Whitney (Challenge)

Magazines:

• Connecticut Studies Weekly: Week 21- Early Industry in Connecticut, Week 22- Inventors and Inventions

Library Books:

• Connecticut (United States) by Jim Ollhoff (page 39)

• N is for Nutmeg: A Connecticut Alphabet by Elissa D. Grodin (Letter W)

• Yankee Doodle Numbers: A Connecticut Number Book by Elissa D. Grodin (Number 50)

• Connecticut (Hello U.S.A.) by Amy Gelman (page 69)

• Connecticut, Connecticut: Past and Present by Laura La Bella (page 17, 33)

Books that may be available in your school's library:

• So you want to be an inventor? by Judith St. George

• Eli Whitney and the cotton gin by Jessica Gunderson

• Eli Whitney by Tracy Garcia

• Eli Whitney: great inventor Jean Lee Latham

• Maker of machines: a story about Eli Whitney by Barbara Mitchell

• Eli Whitney by Judy Alter

• Eli Whitney by Margaret Hall