Which inventor’s work in the 1870s contributed to the transformation of the market, particularly with interchangeable parts?

The inventor whose work in the 1870s significantly transformed the market through the development of interchangeable parts is Eli Whitney. Whitney is often credited with popularizing the concept of interchangeable parts, which revolutionized manufacturing processes by enabling goods to be produced more efficiently and with greater consistency. This system allowed parts to be mass-produced and assembled with less precision in measurement, facilitating easier repairs and replacements.

Whitney’s innovations laid the groundwork for future advancements in manufacturing, such as assembly line production, which later became fully realized through the efforts of figures like Henry Ford. Understanding Whitney’s contributions provides insight into how early manufacturing practices shifted towards more systematic and efficient approaches, setting the stage for the industrial revolution and modern mass production techniques.