If you went to elementary school in the United States, you no doubt learned about Eli Whitney’s cotton gin as an example ... away that market with indigo created in its colonies.

With the gin (short for engine), raw cotton could be quickly cleaned; Suddenly cotton became a profitable crop, transforming the southern economy and changing the dynamics of slavery. The first ...

At the same time, the textile industry in Great Britain was exploding, creating enormous international demand for cotton clothing. Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin, which easily ...