Curator: Adam Khorakiwala
The Industrial Revolution (1700-1900) was one of the most defining periods in the history of the world. The changes in agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation that this era brought had a profound effect on the lives of the British, who were the first to industrialize. Through the process of industrialization, these benefits reached Europe and eventually the rest of the world. Machinery and other new innovations were brought in and replaced manpower and others to create a quicker, more efficient, and more profitable manner in which to accomplish tasks. (Porter, para 1) An essential part to the running of said innovations was the use of energy.

Scientists started to experiment with the different uses of coal, petroleum, and electricity in the 1600s. Working combustion and steam engines were created along with great progress in the field of electromagnetics. While scientists were able to create great experiments and models using these energy sources, there was very little use of these in society. The models that were created were not near reliable enough for usage outside the laboratory. (Electricity History) Heat and light generated by fire was largely the only practical energy source. It was used for lighting, cooking, and heating. The start of the Industrial Revolution marked a turning point for energy use. The engine was the driving force, literally, for a lot of the industrialization that took place. (Porter, para 11, 12, 13) Electricity was also a new, revolutionary tool. The initial forms of energy use along with the energy related enhancements brought by the Industrial Revolution will be highlighted in this exhibit.

Pre-Industry...

This piece was one of series of candlelit paintings created by Wright in the 1760’s and is arguably the most illustrious. The scene in this painting depicts a man recreating an experiment of Robert Boyle, a natural philosopher, scientist, and the inventor of the demonstrated air pump. Onlookers watch as the bird is being deprived of oxygen. The candlelight that illuminates the scene is what one has to focus in this exhibit. (“An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump”, Introduction) As there was no practical way of generating electricity in 1768, the candle light was how one would illuminate something.

An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump by Joseph Wright in 1768 Oil-on-canvas painting 183 × 244 cm, 72 × 94½ in National Gallery, London, England

Along with lighting, fire had a variety of uses such in the areas of warming and cooking. As weather in Britain and Europe tends to be on the colder side for most of the year, being warm was an essential aspect to survival. When looking back at this pre-industrial period, one can see that energy use didn’t really waver away from the use of fire. In fact, how humans harnessed energy hadn’t really evolved dramatically since our earliest ancestors discovered fire.

During the Industrial Revolution...

James Watt was a mechanical engineer in the 18th century and the inventor of this revolutionary steam engine design. From the age of 19, he started repairing engines and later became interested in improving steam engines, especially the ones invented by the engineers Thomas Savery and Thomas Newcomen. At the time, these engines were used to pump water from mines. Between 1763 and 1775, he and his partner and financer, Matthew Boulton, developed this design based on the principle of making it more efficient. (“James Watt”, para 2) When he noticed the inefficiency of the Newcomen engine, he conceptualized a separate condenser for the engine. This principle was so well implemented that Watt’s engine was 75% more efficient than the Newcomen. This engine design was so successful from both an economic and engineering perspective that the design wasn’t radically altered upon for a hundred years. (“Watt Steam Engine”, para 6 and 10)

James Watt’s Steam Engine Design Extracts from: Capital and Steam Power 1750-1800 Written by John Lord of London

Along with lighting, fire had a variety of uses such in the areas of warming and cooking. As weather in Britain and Europe tends to be on the colder side for most of the year, being warm was an essential aspect to survival. When looking back at this pre-industrial period, one can see that energy use didn’t really waver away from the use of fire. In fact, how humans harnessed energy hadn’t really evolved dramatically since our earliest ancestors discovered fire.

Alessandro Volta was the physicist who invented this voltaic pile, which also known as the very first electric battery or cell. His model demonstrated how that when certain metals and chemicals touch each other, an electrical current is produced. While this theory is obsolete today due to new electrochemical theories, the voltaic pile is the first reliable generator of electricity. This form of power sparked (literally) much curiosity over its potential. March 20, 1800, when Volta sent his findings to the London Royal Society, was a momentous day as reliable electricity became a reality. (“Voltaic Pile” para 1 and 3)

The Early Voltaic Pile Invented by: Alessandro Volta in 1800

The 19th century brought about the most research on electricity ever, thus starting its use in the public arena. The industrial electric engine was brought into use in 1837. 1879 was a huge year as the first commercial power and light plants were opened in San Francisco and Cleveland respectively. It was not just industrialists who were using electricity, but the public too were evolving from the use of fire. Candlelight was being replaced by the light bulb. Evolution is simply the term to describe what was happening. Scientific and industrial prowess allowed for these new and more convenient forms to take over very outdated methods. (Bellis, Mary; Electricity Milestones)

Here is the Works Cited for this exhibt.