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| Worksheet # 60 |
| INDUSTRY, INVENTION, ELI WHITNEY In the restless young years of this strapping strong nation, Agriculture was still the most practiced vocation. Though folks down on the farms, tilling day-long the soil, Were glad for new tools which might lessen their toil. Like steel plows by John Deere, and McCormick's new reaper, Which made seasonal harvest much faster and cheaper. While young Eli Whitney, who shan't be forgotten, Concocted a machine to clean and draw cotton. Now, the cotton-gin changed which cash crops were planted, Since quantities of cloth are always much wanted. (Though to pick all those tufts, 'twas a laborious thing, -- hence ever more slaves helped make cotton "King"). But Eli, 'tis certain, was one truly smart bloke. His interchangeable parts: a grand masterstroke! Since tools made by hand, and goods by and large, Are all a bit different and take forever to forge. But when parts become standard, which means all the same, Their easy to work with and to replace when they're lame. As Whitney showed with firearms, which our government buys, Since with all of their pieces, they're a bear to devise. So Eli plopped his parts down, with each kind its own pile, And to render a musket, he proposed a quick trial. And the official folk laughed, they snickered and chortled, Until what they saw left them flummoxed and startled! Since any part from each stack could fit right in place, 'Twas a quick easy build, a true godsend and grace! Indeed, such invention soon quickened the world, With great progress and fortunes all part of the swirl. So to see a long line beat a path to your door, Build the better mouse-trap and watch the money in-pour. And if you are a go-getter, a darer and do-er, Start a business yourself, a true entrepeneur. |
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