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This is what a grain-grinding windmill looks like.
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The earliest windmills were built in Persia (now Iran) circa 500-900 AD. These windmills are powered by wind power, and were used to grind grain. Even today, people still occasionally use windmills to grind grain.
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In colonial America, colonists would use windmills not only to grind grain, but now to cut wood as well. Windpumps, which were used to pump water, became widespread in the Western US as it was settled.
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Here is a windmill circa 1800 in America.
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Windmills are now more used to create wind energy, which are used to grind grain and pump water as it was centuries ago. However, wind turbines, a special kind of windmill, is now used to generate electricity instead of wind power. However, windmills are still quite widespread. Shown is a modern windmill.
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Future wind turbines and windmills will be taller, have sharper blades and will produce power faster.
