The spinning jenny is a device used for spinning thread. Unlike its predecessor, the spinning wheel, it was much more efficient, allowing a single spinner to produce eight times as much thread. Although there is some speculation that the Spinning Jenny was actually invented by Thomas Highs, the credit is usually given to James Hargreaves, a carpenter and weaver from Blackburn, England.

The flying shuttle increased the efficiency of the weaving process, increasing the demand for cotton yarn. No such improvement had been made to the spinning process, which still used the spinning wheel. Because of this, in 1764 James Hargreaves developed the spinning jenny, a device that was operated by a single person, but did the work of several spinning wheels. James Hargreaves did not receive much profit from his invention, however. He was first driven out of Blackburn due to fears that the spinning jenny would decrease the price of cotton thread, and by the time he finally received a patent for his device in 1770, hundreds were already in use.

Although the spinning jenny revolutionized textile production, it was only the first in a line of more efficient spinning machines which began the industrial revolution.

*Pictures from:
"INVENTORS: James Hargreaves and the spinning jenny". Cotton Times. 4 Jan. 2004. <http://www.cottontimes.co.uk/hargreaveso.htm>

"INVENTORS: James Hargreaves and the spinning jenny". Cotton Times. 4 Jan. 2004. <http://www.cottontimes.co.uk/hargreaveso.htm>

• This website describes the history of the spinning jenny.

"Spinning Jenny". Wikipedia. 4 Jan. 2004. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinning_Jenny>

• This website describes the history of the spinning jenny.

Bellis, Mary. "Spinning Jenny - James Hargreaves". About.com. 4 Jan. 2004. <http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blspinningjenny.htm>

• This website describes the history of the spinning jenny.