Which of these BEST describes the importance of Eli Whitney's development of the practice of using interchangeable parts in manu
facturing? A) There was an immediate increase in the skill level of craftsmanship by American artisans. Eliminate B) More complex goods would be more available because they could be made more quickly. C) The economies of Southern states could be boosted by a greater production of cotton. D) Muskets could be produced in greater numbers in time for the Revolutionary War.
The correct answer is B. The importance of Eli Whitney's development of the practice of using interchangeable parts in manufacturing was that more complex goods would be more available because they could be made more quickly.
Explanation:
Eli Whitney was an American inventor best known for the machine used to clean cotton seedlings, called cotton gin. It was one of the basic inventions of the Industrial Revolution and created the economic wealth of the southern United States. The climatic conditions in the southern states were good for growing cotton shrubs, but the variety that could be grown contained so much seed that it was not economically viable to clean. Following Whitney's invention, the South became the world's largest cotton-producing region.
Eli Whitney is a pioneer in mass production, whether for industry in the North of the United States or for the South, which he allowed to keep his dominant position in the cultivation of cotton.
