Answer :
Final answer:
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793, which dramatically improved the efficiency of cotton production by separating the seeds from the cotton fibers quickly.
Explanation:
In 1793, Eli Whitney revolutionized the production of cotton when he invented the cotton gin, a device that separated the seeds from raw cotton. This invention was one of the most significant technological advancements of the early nineteenth century, drastically improving the efficiency of cotton processing.
The cotton gin used a hand crank and a carding device to extract the seeds and align the cotton fibers in strands suitable for spinning. Despite attempts to protect his invention through patents, Whitney faced challenges as southern cotton planters created similar seed-separating devices.