History of Fossil Fuels

The Middle Ages

1 CE

In the middle ages, British people run out of wood and use up the coal on the surface of the ground. Though the coal mines always fill with water. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/08/the-smithsonian-goes-deep-inside-an-old-pennsylvania-coal-mine/244045/

Invention of the Steam Engine

2

Samuel Newcomen invents the steam engine to pump water out of mines, allowing miners to dig coal. https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Newcomen+atmospheric+engine

James Watt Uses Steam Engines

3

James Watt takes the steam engine for other practical uses, giving birth to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Watt

Beginning of the Industrial Revolution

4

Coal miners have to lug the coal out of the mines, so people invent the railroad and create a positive sum game, because steam engines that power railroads are transported using railroads. https://madison.com/wsj/archives/topics/pages_from_history/just-in-time-railroads-throw-madison-a-line-third-in/article_0d0e6aa8-0b61-5f1b-b8ed-977c87dd17dc.html

Birth of Electricity

5

Michael Faraday invents the electric motor, Nicholas Tesla invents the alternating current. Utility companies start burning coal for electricity. https://za.usembassy.gov/understanding-electric-bill-can-save-money/

Birth of Other Fossil Fuels

6

Edwin Drake builds the first rock oil well in Pennsylvania, Gottlieb Daimer builds the first automobile that runs on petroleum. Coal, tar, and oil are turned into industrial chemicals, which promotes the growth of the population. https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/closed-top-oil-barrels-12892593788.html

Fossil Fuels used for Other Inventions

7

The Wright Brothers use oil for aviation, Haber and Bosch make fertilizer from fossil fuels. Fertilizer and fueled tractors increase food-production. https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/wright-brothers/online/fly/1903/

Fossil Fueled Wars

Period: 7 to 9

WW1 is the first war first fossil fueled conflict. WW2 gives birth to war machines such as guided missiles and atom bombs.

Great Depression

8

Huge period of unemployment partly caused by overproduction. https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression

Advertisement

9

Advertisers uses ads to soak up overproduction.Television helps promote ads to new generation and consumers. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-42831505

Oil Usage

10

Everybody finds out how dependent they are on oil. An environmental movement begins, but oil prices fall, and everyone forgets about their oil dependence. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/11/24/oil-price-tumbles-budget-2018-faces-new-challenge/

Market vs. Planned Economy

11

Competition between market and planned economy, market wins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7O33xgY_tQ

Globalization

12

Personal computers and cellphones are invented. News spread that labor in China is cheaper, because now everything is connected via the internet. China is now burning half the world's coal in order to support their exports. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/25/world/asia/china-rules.html

Rising Environmental Problems

13

Rise in CO2 in the atmosphere creates all kinds of environmental problems. Usage of fossil fuels cause heat waves, floods, oceans acidify, forests disappear, species go extinct, etc. https://www.eartheclipse.com/environment/causes-effects-solutions-to-environmental-pollution.html