User:Dylankime/sandbox

Timeline of Coal in Appalachia

Introduction — Mining coal has been an ongoing process in the United States for nearly three hundred years. From its humble beginnings in the late 1700s in Northeast Pennsylvania to its eventual rise in becoming America's favorite choice in home heating, coal has been an integral part of our lives. Many would say that it was the mining industry that really powered the Industrial Revolution. Coal fueled steamships as well as locomotives, and warmed millions of homes. There were two types of coal mined in the United States - Anthracite and Bituminous.

Being as valuable as it was, coal was mined in massive amounts. These quantities coming out of the Northeast caused a sensation both socially and economically. Mine production became such a thriving business that eventually over ten million tons of coal were produced over just two centuries time, which was quite an achievement. In addition to its practicality as a heating source, the demand for coal provided employment in large numbers.

All the coal mining translated to gigantic numbers in terms of income for Pennsylvania. Coal became something that was used in nearly every household at one time, and because Pennsylvania was pulling such large quantities it became a popular export to many other countries as well. It lifted up the economy when it was very vulnerable and assured many Americans job security.

The life as a coal miner was anything but glamorous. Since mining began in the U.S., there have been thousands of accidents, explosions, mine cave-ins, and a staggering death toll. These men walked into the darkness each day below the earth never knowing if they would come back to the surface alive, a brutal truth in underground mining.