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Wind Powered Ships
Modern Day wind powered ships are not completely powered by wind, for the most part. Modern day wind powered ships harness the power of wind through devices using "Wind Assisted Propulsion". However, wind powered ships hark back to an ancient technology that has been around for millennia.

Early History
"Since ancient times, people have harnessed the wind's energy. Over 5,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians used wind to sail ships on the Nile River."

The ancient Egyptians are believed to have been some of the first humans to utilize the wind for sailing. There is record of the Egyptians utilizing this technology as long ago as 5000 B.C. The use of wind and the sail would become an existential part of the progression of civilization. Wind powered ships would become instrumental in trade and war. The revolutionary invention of the sail and the harnessing of the power of the wind truly changed the world and without this fundamental invention the world would not have progressed in the way it has.

The Industrial Age
"During the later 19th century, large sailing ships almost completely disappeared as steam power took over."

With the invention of the steam engine, the wind powered ship all but disappeared and became an obsolete piece of technology. This piece of technology that had been used for several millennia and crucial in the progression of the world became irrelevant and obsolete in an instant.

As the wide spread use of steam engines became the new norm the world completely forsook the sail.

Modern Day
Today, wind power is making a comeback. The U.S. government has spear headed the effort to integrate wind into helping ships increase their fuel efficiency and reduce their fuel consumption. they have begun to incorporate "Wind Assisted Propulsion" into the shipping industry.

Wind Assisted Propulsion
“Wind assisted propulsion is the practice of decreasing the fuel consumption of a merchant vessel through the use of sails or some other wind capture device. Sails used to be the primary means of propelling ships, but with the advent of the steam engine and the diesel engine, sails came to be used for recreational sailing only. In recent years with increasing fuel costs and an increased focus on reducing emissions, there has been increased interest in harnessing the power of the wind to propel commercial ships.”