Electricity Coal Oil US Empire

Electricity and the cotton centennial exposition

featured thousands of electric lights illuminating New Orleans inside and out

What did the Reception of Rex display

a central electric chandelier, stunning at the time

How was early electricity generated

mostly hydropower dams

some steam engines

Gilded age view on petroleum

people did not see petroleum oil as the fuel of the future in the gilded age

What changed the narrative for petroleum oil

a new kind of engine using petroleum oil not to provide light, but mechanical power

How did we come to use oil for motive power

the internal combustion engine moved power from steam to gasoline

what helped catapult the use of oil as power

development of modern automobile

changepoints in use of petroleum oil 1901

oil booms across the country

modern car

changepoint in use of petroleum oil 1903

first flight takes internal combustion aloft

changepoint in use of petroleum 1913

mass production through Ford’s assembly line

internal combustion timeline importance

gasoline engine dominance was not inevitable, it was contingent on European invention and subsequent American scaling

Why was rock oil valuable initially

source of illumination

what did combustion engines compete with

steam-powered engines for small manufacturing

The Mr. Toad Era

luxury makers create artisinal products for wealthy clients

What did automobiles run on in the mr toad era

steam or electricity, some used internal combustion

Where was money moving to in the 1870s - 1890s

electricity

What caused oil to be used more than electricity

increased supply led to innovation

Mercedes 35

first modern fossil-fueled car

muck-rakers

documented dangerous work and long hours performed by american children

what did muck-rakers’ work lead to for coal

gained public support for laws limiting child labor

Mine and Coalfield wars

workers engaged in strikes and unionization efforts in resistance to dangerous, poorly paid work mining coal

big idea around war and american empire

Naval warships run on coal requiring coaling stations around the world driving imperial expansion

Nikola Tesla

Developed the alternating current induction motor

nikola tesla and george westinghouse

developed the first hydro-electric power plant

AC power generation and distribution model

1. generate high voltage AC power at central station

2. send out power using high voltage electrical lines

3. power distribution substations boost line voltage lost from resistance in wires

4. step down voltage and distribute to customers

hydro-electric power plant significance

ended the war of currents