10 Key Historic Energy Events in the US

Lightning

Jun 10, 1752

Benjamin Franklin created an experiment by tying a key to the end of a kite to test if lightning was electricity.

Fuel Cell

Jul 11, 1839

William Grove is credited with inventing the fuel cell which is an invention that produces electrical energy.

Oil Well

Aug 28, 1859

The first oil well in the US was drilled in North Western Pennsylvania and it was known as the Drake Well.

Lightbulb

Dec 31, 1879

Thomas Edison invented an incandescent light bulb that would last a longer time.

Windmill

Apr 22, 1888

In 1888 Charles Brush built the first windmill in the US to power his mansion.

Fluorescent Lamp

Sep 13, 1901

An engineer named Peter Hewitt invented the fluorescent lamp which is more efficient than an incandescent bulb.

Hoover Dam

Sep 30, 1935

The Hoover Dam was built on the Colorado river. It was built to provide hydro power.

Nuclear Chain Reaction

Dec 2, 1942

The first nuclear chain reaction was produced by a physicist named Enrico Fermi.

Atomic Bomb

Jul 16, 1945

The first atomic bomb was tested in New Mexico and it was a success.

Integrated Circuits

Sep 12, 1958

Jack Kilby invented integrated circuits which are smaller and easier to produce than the circuits before them. It is built from a single crystal.

Sources

Dec 24, 2016

http://nuclear-energy.net/what-is-nuclear-energy/history
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/06/22/americas-first-wind-turbine-generated-electricity-1888/
http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/history

http://www.history.com/topics/inventions/thomas-edison
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bl_fluorescent.htm
http://www.pbs.org/transistor/background1/events/icinv.html
http://www.history.com/topics/hoover-dam
https://www.priweb.org/ed/pgws/history/pennsylvania/pennsylvania.html