Green Cotton

Eli Whitney Museum

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Vacation Program

  • Tuesday, April 19, 2011
  • 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
  • Designed for ages 8 to 12

Cotton is an epic story. It built America's economy. It clothed America. It came close to destroying America. It exploited slaves and sharecroppers and the environment. It remains a valuable export crop today. Was Eli Whitney a hero or a villain? He invented a labor saving device that produced only usable products: cotton seeds and lint for thread. The knitware company Anvil has chosen to look for that sustainability in every process that goes into making their tee-shirts. Construct a model cotton mill (based on David Macaulay's Mill*). Discover just how many thoughtful choices must go in to making something right.

*David Macaulay's Mill on Google Books.

Mill Model Side A

Mill Model Side A

Mill Model Side B

Mill Model Side B


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