COLEGIO DE SEBASTIAN- PAMPANGA INC.

HIGHER ACADEMIA INC.

SHORT HISTORY
OF
ELECTRICITY

SUBMITTED BY:
BALATBAT, YESHA LEIGH N.

SUBMITTED TO:
ENGR. CARL CORONEL
It's hard to envision modern life without electricity because it's such an essential component.

On a larger scale, however, electricity as we know it today is still very much in its infancy.
Although people have understood electricity for at least a few thousand years, we have only
been able to use it as a source of energy to power our homes and businesses in the last century
or so.

People knew that some fish could shock us with electricity long before we even knew what
electricity was. Texts from ancient Egypt dating back to 2750 B.C. referred to the electric
catfish as the "Nile's thunderer."

Ancient Discoveries:

● 600 BCE: The earliest known observations of electricity come from the ancient
Greeks. Thales of Miletus discovered that rubbing amber with fur made it attract
small objects, such as feathers. This is now understood as static electricity.
● 300 BCE: The Greek philosopher Plato and others further discussed the nature of
electricity and magnetism, though the understanding of these phenomena remained
primitive.

Thales of Miletus: The Ancient Pioneer of Electricity

In the bustling agora of ancient Miletus, a city of thinkers and traders, lived Thales, a
philosopher with an insatiable curiosity about the world around him. Thales was known for
his groundbreaking ideas, but one of his most fascinating discoveries came from a seemingly
simple observation.

One bright afternoon, as the sun cast long shadows over the marketplace, Thales sat at his
workbench, examining various objects. His attention was caught by a piece of amber, a
golden fossilized resin. Intrigued by its beauty, Thales began to experiment with it. He took
a piece of silk and rubbed the amber vigorously. To his astonishment, the amber began to
attract small, lightweight objects like feathers and bits of straw.

Thales repeated the experiment several times, ensuring there was no trickery involved. Each
time, the amber attracted the small objects without fail. This peculiar phenomenon puzzled
him. Why did the amber behave this way? He pondered deeply, hypothesizing that the amber
possessed a mysterious force, something unseen yet powerful.

Word of Thales' discovery spread throughout Miletus. Scholars and townsfolk alike were
captivated by the idea of this invisible force. They gathered around Thales, eager to witness
the spectacle themselves. Thales rubbed the amber with silk with a flick of his wrist, and the
crowd gasped as the amber attracted feathers once more.

Thales coined this force "electron," deriving from the Greek word for amber, "ëlectron." This
term would echo through the ages, giving rise to the words "electricity" and "electron."
Thales' simple yet profound experiment laid the foundation for the study of static electricity,
a concept that would be further explored and understood by future scientists.

As the sun set over Miletus, casting a golden hue over the city, Thales realized that his
curiosity had unveiled one of nature's secrets. His discovery of static electricity was a
testament to the power of observation and the wonders that could be revealed by asking the
right questions. Thus, Thales, the philosopher who looked beyond the obvious, became a
pioneer in the exploration of natural phenomena, his legacy enduring through the very fabric
of scientific discovery.

Middle Ages:
 ● Middle Ages (500–1500 CE): There were no major advances in understanding
electricity during this period, but experiments with magnetism were conducted,
particularly with lodestones (natural magnets). The concepts of magnetism and
electricity began to be linked in later centuries.

The Windmill: Harnessing Nature’s Power

The introduction of windmills in medieval society was a significant advancement, using the
power of the wind to grind grain, pump water, and perform other important tasks. These
towering structures were able to harness nature’s power in ways that had never been seen
before, transforming agricultural and industrial processes.

The design of the windmill itself was relatively simple, using sails attached to a central shaft
to capture the wind’s energy. The sails would turn the shaft, which in turn powered a variety
of machinery. Windmills were used to grind flour, press oil, and saw wood, among other
things. They became a crucial component of the agricultural economy, allowing farmers to
grind their own grain more efficiently and reducing the need for expensive and time-
consuming manual labor.

Windmills were also used for non-agricultural purposes. They provided power for early
forms of manufacturing, such as the production of textiles and paper. They were even used to
generate electricity in some areas, with small wind turbines powering individual homes and
buildings.

The significance of windmills can still be seen today, with a renewed interest in renewable
energy. Modern wind turbines operate on the same basic principle as medieval windmills,
using the power of the wind to generate electricity on a large scale. As the world looks for
ways to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, the legacy of the medieval windmill lives on.

Renaissance and Early Modern Period (16th to 18th Century):

● 1600: English scientist William Gilbert coined the term "electricity" (from the Greek
word elektron, meaning amber). He also made important advancements in the study
of magnetism.
● 1660s: Otto von Guericke, a German scientist, invented the first electric machine,
which generated static electricity through friction.
● 1750s: Benjamin Franklin is one of the key figures in the development of electricity.
His famous experiment with a kite during a thunderstorm (1752) helped establish the
idea that lightning is a form of electricity. Franklin proposed the concept of positive
and negative charges.

18th Century:

● 1790s: The invention of the electrostatic generator (such as the Leyden jar) allowed
scientists to accumulate and store electricity, which furthered experimentation.
● 1800: Alessandro Volta, an Italian physicist, invented the first chemical battery,
known as the Voltaic Pile. This was the first practical source of continuous electric
current.

19th Century – Harnessing Electric Power:

● 1820s: Hans Christian Ørsted discovered the relationship between electricity and
magnetism when he observed that a current-carrying wire deflected a nearby compass
needle. This led to the development of electromagnetism.
● 1831: Michael Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction, which is the principle
behind electric generators and transformers. His work laid the foundation for
modern electrical engineering.
● 1879: Thomas Edison invented the incandescent light bulb, making electric lighting
practical for homes and businesses. He also established the first electric power
distribution system in New York City.
● 1880s: Nikola Tesla developed alternating current (AC) technology, which was more
efficient for long-distance power transmission. This led to the "War of Currents"
btweeen Edison (who championed direct current, DC) and Tesla/George
Westinghouse (who supported AC). AC eventually became the standard for electrical
power distribution.

20th Century – Expansion and Electrification:

 ● Early 1900s: The widespread adoption of electric power began, with electrical grids
being established in major cities around the world. Electrical devices such as radios,
refrigerators, and early computers began to change everyday life.
● 1920s-1930s: Electric power became a key part of industrial and domestic life, with
electric appliances becoming common.
● 1950s-1970s: The development of nuclear power plants began, offering a new way to
generate electricity. At the same time, advances in electronics, including the invention
of the transistor and integrated circuits, revolutionized the field.

7. Modern Era – Renewable Energy and Innovations:

● Late 20th Century and 21st Century: The development of renewable energy sources
such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power became a focus for sustainable electricity
generation. Advances in smart grids, energy storage, and electric vehicles are shaping
the future of electricity.
● Ongoing research in quantum computing, superconductors, and other areas promises
to open new frontiers in how electricity is used and transmitted.

The current electricity grid we’ve set up today is a complex and incredibly important system
and one of the most impressive engineering feats of the modern era. It transmits power
generated at a variety of facilities and distributes it to end-users, often over long distances,
providing electricity to buildings, industrial facilities, schools, homes, and more. Thanks to
this feat, we’ve become somewhat dependent on the energy grid today, making sustainability
a focus for many moving forward.