U.S energy use and production

Hopi Indians and coal

Jan 1, 1300

Hopi indians use coal for heating, cooking and firing pottery

Wood

Jan 1, 1600

Through the 1600s and 1700s, wood was used to heat American households. Later on, in the 1800s, it was used in steam power. Wood was then largely replaced by coal in industry, but continued to heat homes.

Commercial coal production, near Richmond, VA

Jan 1, 1748

Coal started to slowly replace wood in enegy production

First natural gas well

Jan 1, 1821

A man named William Hart dug the first gas well in the U.S in Fredonia, New York. Gas was used exclusively as a source of light, because at that time it was difficult to transport or to use for heating or cooking.

Electric motor

Jan 1, 1834

Thomas Davenport developed a battery-powered electric motor he used to operate a small model car. Today his design is used in most electrical appliances.

First electric plant

Sep 4, 1882

Thomas Edison built the very first commercial power plant, in New York

The Manhattan Project begins

Aug 13, 1942

Led by the U.S, the Manhattan Project produced the first nuclear weapons during World War II before Germany. The project made way for nuclear power plants.

Oil and automobiles

Jan 1, 1950

The growing number of cars makes oil the most used resource

Wind power development

Apr 22, 2009

First framework and financing made to effectively produce wind farms

Clean Air Act

Mar 27, 2012

US Environmental Protection Agency announces 1,000 pound CO2 standard per MWh

Sources

Jun 23, 2015

Me, making this timeline, using these sources:
http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=timelines
http://alternativeenergy.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000015