Eli Whitney: Great American inventorEli Whitney was a great American inventor. He was also a noted maker, craftsman and pioneer. He is of course best known for inventing the cotton gin. Many also know him for his manufacturing of interchangeable weapon parts. Both of these accomplishments had a profound impact on American history and made famous the son of a humble farmer who always did his best and held on to his dreams. Eli Whitney was born in Westboro, Massachusetts on December 8, 1765. He was the eldest of four born to Elizabeth Fay and Eli Whitney. His mother died when Eli was twelve. Eli senior was a farmer and, like many at the time, he had a workshop in which he maintained the tools and other items necessary for farm life. Eli learned to use his father's variety of tools at a young age and loved working in the workshop. He never showed any interest in agricultural work, but had great mechanical inclinations. As a child, he had seen a violin and made himself a superb one. He was also able to disassemble his father's watch and completely reassemble the delicate workings into perfect working order. He was constantly repairing and making things, and as word of his trick spread, he often fixed things for his neighbors and friends as well. (Cannon, 1963) Eli was well known as a mechanical repair genius in his hometown, and early on he began to make an impact on a broader horizon. Eli was just a teenager when the Revolutionary War broke out. As the manufacturing industry was focused on making weapons and combat supplies and trade with England was interrupted, the need for nails became great. Eli's business acumen and vision to help his country led him to develop a nail manufacturing project of his own. He had saved a few dollars from his small projects and, with his father's help, he set up a blacksmith shop in the workshop. His nails were in high demand and after working alone for a while he encountered problems with mass production. He decided to hire some help, so he borrowed his father's horse and set off for three days to find a man. During his forty-mile journey, Eli gathered information about mass production and found a man who worked for him for three months..