Who invented a mechanical harvesting device?

• A. Benjamin Franklin
• B. Cyrus McCormick
• C. Eli Whitney
• D. James Watt

Answer: (B)

The main idea tested is identifying who created a device that could harvest grain mechanically, a breakthrough that dramatically boosted farming efficiency. Cyrus McCormick designed and patented a horse-drawn mechanical reaper in 1834 and continuously refined it, making a single worker capable of cutting and gathering large swaths of wheat much faster than hand labor. This innovation transformed agriculture by enabling bigger, more productive farms and contributing to the move toward industrial-scale farming. Benjamin Franklin is known for many inventions and public works, but not a harvesting machine. Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which mechanized cotton processing, not grain harvesting. James Watt improved the steam engine, which powered machinery, but did not create a harvesting device.