Energy Use in the United States

  • First Commercial Production of Coal

    First Commercial Production of Coal
    Commercial coal production begins in Richmond, Virginia.
  • Beginning of the Industrial Revolution

    Beginning of the Industrial Revolution
    First railroads are built in the United States. Railroads were powered by steam engines, using the burning of coal.
  • First Natural Gas Well Drilled

    First Natural Gas Well Drilled
    The first natural gas well was drilled in Fredonia, New York.
  • First Oil Well Drilled

    First Oil Well Drilled
    The first oil well drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania.
  • Thomas Edison invents the Incandescent Light Bulb

    Thomas Edison invents the Incandescent Light Bulb
    In 1879, Thomas Edison invented the first incandescent light bulb, using electrical energy.
  • First Use of Geothermal Energy

    First Use of Geothermal Energy
    Geothermal energy was first used to heat buildings in Boise, Idaho.
  • Tennessee Valley Authority Created

    Tennessee Valley Authority Created
    The Tennessee Valley Authority was created as part of the New Deal to create jobs, and provided energy to people in the Tennessee Valley area.
  • First Nuclear Power Plant Built

    First Nuclear Power Plant Built
    The first nuclear power plant was built in Shippingport, Pennsylvania.
  • Arab Oil Embargo against the US

    Arab Oil Embargo against the US
    In 1973, the Arabian nations set forward an oil embargo against the United States, creating an energy crisis.
  • Three Mile Island Meltdown

    Three Mile Island Meltdown
    The partial meltdown on Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania stalls the progress of Nuclear Energy.