Final answer:
Samuel Slater is credited with introducing British milling technology to the United States and building the first successful American cotton mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in the 1790s. With financial backing from Moses Brown, Slater's mill was the pioneer of domestic textile production and led to the establishment of the first mill village in Slatersville, influencing the growth of the industry in New England.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individual who successfully introduced British milling technology to the United States and constructed the first prosperous cotton mill in the U.S. was Samuel Slater. Slater's journey began in England where he apprenticed in a factory partly owned by industrialist Richard Arkwright. Having memorized the design of the factory's machinery, he immigrated to the United States in 1789 under the guise of a farmer, due to Britain's strict regulations against the export of textile technology and skilled workers.
Upon arriving in the U.S., Slater partnered with Moses Brown, a wealthy Providence industrialist, to finance the establishment of a water-powered cotton mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in the 1790s. This mill was based closely on British models, especially those designed by Arkwright. Slater's deep knowledge of mill technology and organization was instrumental, and the Pawtucket mill marked the beginning of domestic textile production in America.
By 1810, Slater had advanced the industry further, creating the first mill village in Slatersville, Rhode Island. This development, along with President Jefferson's embargo on British goods, spurred the construction of more textile mills in rural New England. Slater's success did not only revolutionize American industry but also contributed to the increasing economic and cultural divide between the North and the South, as the North leaned more toward industrial manufacturing while the South remained agrarian.