14 March - Eli Whitney granted a patent for the cotton gin in 1794

 

On 14 March 1794, Eli Whitney was granted a patent for the cotton gin.

A cotton gin, is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation. The fibers are then processed into various cotton goods such as calico, while any undamaged cotton is used largely for textiles like clothing. The separated seeds may be used to grow more cotton or to produce cottonseed oil.