A short biographical chapter on Sir Richard Arkwright (1732-1792), taken from the book Historic Inventions. It follows his move from barber and wig dealer to inventor of the roller-drawing spinning frame and founder of the Cromford and Manchester cotton mills. It covers Hargreaves' spinning-jenny, the hostility of hand spinners, his patents of 1769 and 1775, the patent lawsuits, the duties on calicoes, and his knighthood. A portrait of Arkwright is included.

A chapter on Eli Whitney (1765-1825) and his invention of the cotton-gin in 1793, drawn from a book on historic inventions. It follows his Georgia years, his partnership with Phineas Miller, the crowds and pirated copies that undermined his patent, and the lawsuits and state patent-right sales that brought little profit. It closes with the 1807 court decision in his favor, his turn to firearms manufacture, and his failed 1812 patent renewal. Includes letters from Whitney and Miller and a plate portrait.