coal came to be the dominant fuel source during the industrial revolution because of low cost and widespread availability.
why coal came to be the dominant fuel source during the industrial revolution?
low cost and widespread availability
the history of coal mining goes back thousands of years. it became important in the industrial revolution of the 19th and 20th centuries, when it was primarily used to power steam engines, heat buildings and generate electricity. coal mining continues as an important economic activity today. compared to wood fuels, coal yields a higher amount of energy per mass and can often be obtained in areas where wood is not readily available. though it was used historically as a domestic fuel, coal is now used mostly in industry, especially in smelting and alloy production as well as electricity generation. large-scale coal mining developed during the industrial revolution, and coal provided the main source of primary energy for industry and transportation in industrial areas from the 18th century to the 1950s. coal remains an important energy source because of its low cost and abundance compared to other fuels, particularly for electricity generation. coal is also mined today on a large scale by open pit methods wherever the coal strata strike the surface or are relatively shallow. britain developed the main techniques of underground coal mining from the late 18th century onward, with further progress being driven by 19th century and early 20th century progress. however, oil and gas were increasingly used as alternatives from the 1860s onward.
history of coal mining
most homes were equipped with a telephone often with a "party" line but these became rare by the 1960s. a television set was also common in almost all homes by the end of the 1950s and the record player gave way to the hi-fi stereo. almost all kitchens were equipped with electric refrigerators and electric or less commonly gas, stoves. where there was gas it was usually piped to the home through a main line running under the street. there were a variety of electrical "labour saving" devices including electrical mixers can openers and carving knives. central heating was a standard feature and coal, delivered to the home by a diesel powered truck, was the dominant fuel source in the early postwar years. however, as the 1950s progressed coal gave way to oil and gas heating. home furnishings were almost all mass-produced and made from wood, fabric and various types of stuffing for cushions. in the kitchen metal chrome tube chairs and formica topped tables were popular. the small front and back yard were maintained with the help of a gasoline-powered lawn mower, and the hedge and bushes were trimmed with electric clippers. in the early 1960s the high-rise apartment building began to make its appearance in large cities. the self-supporting steel structures were usually seven stories or more, and large buildings contained hundreds of dwelling units. initially they were especially visible along highway 401 in toronto, metropolitan boulevard in montreal and the north shore of english bay in vancouver. their construction was possible due to the introduction of the high-rise crane, which to this day remains a common feature of city skylines.
technological and industrial history of 20th-century canada