Energy in the U.S.

By sarabullins
  • 600 BCE

    Static Electricity

    Static Electricity
    Thales( Greek) found that when amber was rubbed with silk, it became electrically charged and attracted objects. This is known as static electricity.

  • Coal

    Coal
    The first record of coal in the U.S. was shown on a map by Louis Joliet.

  • Conductors/Nonconductors

    Conductors/Nonconductors
    Stephen Gray (England) distinguished between conductors and nonconductors of electrical charges.

  • Kite

    Kite
    Ben Franklin tied a key to a kite string while there was a thunderstorm, and proved lightening is the same thing as static electricity.

  • Natural Gas

    Natural Gas
    Natural gas was used in Baltimore to fuel street lamps. During the 19th century, natural gas was used as a lighting fuel in Europe and in North America. Most of the natural gas produced then was made from coal,

  • Oil

    Oil
    George Bissell and Edwin L. Drake made the first successful use of a drilling rig on a well drilled to produce oil.

  • Hydropower

    Hydropower
    The first hydroelectric plants were direct current stations used to power a nearby arc and incandescent lighting.

  • Electron

    Electron
    J. J. Thomson discovered the electron.

  • Bohr

    Bohr
    Niels Bohr published the theory of atomic structure, combining nuclear theory with quantum theory.

  • Nuclear

    Nuclear
    Nuclear power plants provided 19% of the electricity used in the United States.

  • Nuclear

    Nuclear
    The Energy Policy Act of 1992 reformed the licensing process for nuclear power plants.