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In 1748 commercial production of coal began outside Richmond, Virginia.
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The economy changed from a labor based economy to a machine based economy with the introduction of the coal-powered steam engine. The more machines that were used, the more energy was consumed.
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Baltimore, Maryland is the first city to light its street lights with fuel produced from coal.
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Edison starts a coal-fired power station in NYC which supplies electricity for lighting households.
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Most rural homes in the U.S. continue to use wood to heat up their homes as well as cook.
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As the popularity of cars rose, oil became the most-used source of energy.
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The first commercial nuclear power plant is built in Pennsylvania.
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Nuclear power becomes the second largest source of energy in America, replacing hydropower.
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General Motors creates the very first electric car, named "The Impact."
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President Bush calls for greater used of alternative fuels, especially ethanol, in his State of the Union address.
