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Native Americans Burning Gases Around Lake Eerie
French explorers discovered Native Americans burning
gases that were seeping into and around Lake Erie. -
Coal Discovered
In 1701, coal was found by Huguenot settlers on the James River in what is now Richmond, Virginia. By 1736, several “coal mines” were shown on a map of the upper Potomac River near what is now the border of Maryland and West Virginia -
First Steam Engine Developed in England to Pump Water Out of Coal Mines
Thomas] Newcomen... built a steam machine close by a coal shaft... in 1712... Newcomen's first machine made twelve strokes a minute, raising 10 gallons of water with each stroke. Its strength is estimated at 5.5 horsepower, not impressive to us, but the 'fire engine,' as it was sometimes called, was a sensation in power-starved Britain and Europe. -
First Commercial Coal Production in US Begins in Richmond, Virginia
The first coal miners American colonies were likely farmers who dug coal from beds exposed on the surface and sold it by the bushel. In 1748 the first commercial coal production began from mines around Richmond. -
Ben Franklin and the Kite
Franklin's experiment successfully showed that lightning was static electricity. You can experience this same reaction when you shuffle your feet on a carpet and reach for a metal doorknob. -
Baltimore Street Lamps
These were the first lamps to light streets in an American City. -
Wood Becomes Main Fuel
Wood was the primary fuel for heating and cooking in
homes and businesses, and was used for steam in
industries, trains, and boats. -
Edison Electric Co.
Thomas Edison founded the Edison Electric Light Co. in
New York City. He bought a number of patents related to
electric lighting and began experiments to develop a
practical, long-lasting light bulb -
Quadricycle
Henry Ford built his first automobile, the quadricycle, to run
on pure ethanol -
Hydropower
Almost 1/3 of U.S. power was hydroelectric.
