AlbertoDeLeon DeLeon1

HIST392022
October13,2014

TheStaggeredAdoptionofCoalandItsEffectsonVariousAmericanRegions
StartingwiththeestablishmentofEuropeancoloniesintheAmericasupthroughthebeginnings
oftheAmericanIndustrialRevolution,woodproveditselftobethemostabundantandtechnologically
easytouseenergysourcetothedomesticpopulation.Arrivinginalandwherewoodproveditselfto
beplentifulandconstant,colonistswerequicktotakeadvantageofaresourceopportunityunforeseen
intheirlifetimes.However,aswoodsuppliesdiminishedyearbyyear,aneedarosetodevelopthe
usageofanewenergysource,particularlycoal.AsAmericafounditselfmovingcloserandclosertothe
fulladoptionofcoalastheleadingenergysourceforthepopulation,amajorityofthecountrybegan
slowlytransformingitselffromanagrarian,individualisticsocietytoanurbanized,interconnectedand
profitdrivennationthatestablisheditselfinstarkcontrasttoanyandallincapableofkeepingupthrough
changesintechnologyandtransportation.
Whilenotionsofproductmaximizationandefficiencywithbettertechnologyfoundtheirstartin
Americawellbeforethefulladoptionofcoalasanenergysource,thetransitiontocoalwasjustonethat
tookthesenotionsandmentalitiestoanunprecedentedlevel.Earlytextilemills,poweredbywaterand
equippedwithmachineryconstructedofwoodandleatherbeltingweresupplantedbyfactories
poweredbysteam,equippedwithmetalmachinery,andlocatedinmajorcities.(Melosi,26)Asthe
technologyneededfortheconversionofrawmaterials,specificallycoal,intoenergybecamemoreand
morecomplextouse,understand,operateandrepair,theneedforskilledlaborincreasedaswell.The
South,dominatedbyanagrarianeconomybuiltonafoundationofslavelaborandmusclepower,found
itselfquicklyoutpacedbytherapidurbanizationandindustrializationintheNorthwhereentrepreneurs
reliedonfreelaborthatwasmoreskilledandbettereducated(Nye,58)inordertomaximizeonall

AlbertoDeLeon DeLeon2
HIST392022
October13,2014

fronts.Theskillandeducationnecessaryfortheuseofmusclepowerorwoodpowerwereminimal.
Withwoodforinstance,onehadtomerelycutitdown,saworsplititintomanageablesizes,andshipit
tomarket.(Cronon,109)Thecomplexityrequiredfortheminingandconversionofcoalwasonethat
requiredskillandlearning,somethingthattheSouthdidnotexpectfromitsslaves(Nye,57)either
fromfearofarebellionorlackofcaring.
Astheneedforcoalbyconsumersgrew,theneedforthetransportationofitfromsourceto
endusegrewaswell.Ifanything,theneedforthetransportationwasonethatpredatedtheneedthat
consumershadyettofullyrealizetheyhad.AnthracitecoalfieldsinPennsylvania,themainsourceof
coalfortheUnitedStatesintheearlytransitionperiod,encounteredseriousissuesduetothedifficulty
ofaccess(Chandler,151).Ifconsumersweretouseaproductwithregularuse,theneedforregularly
scheduledarrivalwasgoingtobeamajorfactor.Forthisreason,mensuchasJosiahWhiteandErskine
Hazard,someofcoalsfirstprominentbusinessmenandpromoters,purchasedcoallandsandbegan
theconstructionofacanaltoreachthem.(Chandler,152)Asbusinessmenworkedtocreateaneed
fortheirproduct,theirinvestmentinthetransportationindustryestablishedanetworkofrailroadsand
canalstyingsourcesofcoaltotheirrespectivemarkets,usuallymajorcitieswithfactories.The
concentrationofpeopleinEasterncitiesmadethetransitiontocoal(forheatandlight)profitable).
(Melose,65)Andsolongastherewasaprofittobemade,theneedtodevelopachannelorsystemof
transportationtoandfrompointAandpointBwouldbepresentandfilledbythosethatstoodtoprofit.
HoweverinSouthandWest,itwasoutofthequestiontoshipanthracite...becausewoodand
bituminouscoalweremoreplentiful.(Melosi,6364)Bysheernatureoftheanthracitecoalfieldsbeing
locatedinPennsylvaniaandthelocationofmain,urbanmarketsinEasterncities,theSouthwouldbeleft

AlbertoDeLeon DeLeon3
HIST392022
October13,2014

behindbytherapidexpansionofrailroadsandcanalsthatwereneededtoservicethecoalindustry.The
arterialnetworkoftheNorthwasonethatintheendwouldeasilysurpassthatoftheSouth,whoselack
ofmarketandrawmaterialsourcesforenergyconsumptionanduseresultedintheeventualdivergence
ofanindustrialNorthandruralSouthforthegreaterpartofthe19thcentury.
Whiletheeventualdominationofcoalasanenergysourceisonethatwouldcometobeused
throughoutthecountry,thesignificantlystaggeredchangesthatoccurredalongsideitsadoptionisone
thatwouldcometoplayaroleinthecharacterdevelopmentofAmericasvariousregions.Asthe
advantagesoftheurban,industrializationoftheNorthbecomeeversoevidentinthefaceofthelacking
South,theadoptionofcoalanditsaccompanyingtechnologieswouldchangethefaceoftheUnited
Statesasitenteredthroughaneraofenergytransition.