Figure 1.--America as the world began the transition from coal to oil dominated the world oil market. Sinclair was one of the new oil companies that appeared after the brek up of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Monopoly (1911). America's oil dominance was a major factor in the Allied defeat of the horrendous NAZI and Japamese dictatorships. America was much more dominant that Saudi Arabia is today. The license plate is difficult to read, but may be 1947. The 15 cent price would be about $2.10 in 2024 dollars.

Energy has played a key role in both American history and few countries have been so abundantly blessed with energy resources are geographically configured so as to effectively utilize those resources. Americans like Europeans began by depending largely on wood and their own bodies, as well as the labor of draft animals. Many major shifts followed including water power; fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), electrical power, nuclear energy, and finally renewables. England began founding the 13 Atlantic-coast colonies (17th century), this was before the advent of significant mechanical power, but wind-driven sailing power brought the colonists to North America and played a major role in the economy,At the time the colonies were settled east of the Appalachians. Few countries at a time that land trans port was costly and primitive had such access to transport. America's abundant fortress provided the raw material to building ships and the American colonies by the time of the Revolution had one of the world's largest merchant marines. Just before the steam age, magnificent clipper ships competed on the world's oceans. With the industrial Revolution, energy became increasingly important. The Industrial Revolution created a huge and increasing demand for energy. At first wood was used to power steam boilers, but was soon replaced with coal, America had both. There were few roads in ante-bellum, although Henry Clay's American system south to build some. The major highways for commerce, were the great river systems of North America. They were plied by at first Riverboats. Animals provided power on land. Canals like the Erie Canal augmented the rivers , Canal barges were pulled by mules. The great Conestoga wagons carrying the pioneers west were pulled by oxen. By the mid-19th century, America was building one of the great rail systems of the world which would soon surpass riverine transport, but not totally replace it. And vital for transport and industrialization was coal. America had vast coal resources. Coal dominated the 19th century. American coal mining grew rapidly in the early-19th century, doubling or tripling every decade. It was centered in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. This began to change after the turn-of-the 20th century. Oil proved to be a much more effective fuel for navies and maritime transport in general. With the invention of the internal combustion engine (ICE), a vast consumer demand was unleashed. And the United States also had major oil fields, the first to be developed. The first American well was drilled in Pennsylvania (1859). Abundant energy helped propel America into the industrial era which the country would dominate. Americans with its vast energy resources embraced industrialization, urbanization, consumerism, and the information age. At first oil was used to produce lubricants and kerosene for lighting. The development the ICE changed that, along with diesel and jet engines. American oil played an important role in World War I even more so in World War II. t the end of the War, nuclear poer was born. Along with oil came another hydrocarbon--natural gas (NG). Again America has huge reserves. America's coal consumption is rapidly being replace with NG which is more clean burning. American oil production peaked (1970s). Innovative new technologies like fracking and horizontal drilling has massively increased oil and NG production. Environmental groups are attempting to prevent drilling and pipeline construction. With the invention of electrical power and lighting (late-19th century), hydro-power and geo-thermal became important. And in recent years other renewable technologies have been developed, including nuclear, solar, wind, and tidal power. Energy essentially erased time and space. It took months to cross the North American continent. Today any city in America can be reached in a few hours. American life today is not possible without fossil fuel, but fossil fuels bring with them green house gases leas=ding to global warming. Just as coal solved huge problems in the 19th century. And oil and natural gas solved major problems in the 20th century,. Renewable energy solutions sources will be needed in the 21st century.

Created: 11:12 PM 9/25/2024
Last updated: 11:12 PM 9/25/2024