The History of Electricity

Last updated 9 months ago

Mankind’s knowledge of electricity dates back to long before Benjamin Franklin performed his famous experiment. Ancient Egyptians, Arabic naturalists, and Greek scholars all had experience with electricity in one way or another. Today's electricians all understand and respect the power of electricity, but not everyone knows exactly how that knowledge was gained.

As early as 600 B.C., the Greek researcher Thales began researching the concept of electricity. In the beginning, he thought that static electricity was in fact magnetic, but he paved the way for further research. Thorough electrical research would not pick up again until the 1600s.
The words "electric" and "electricity" have their roots in the Greek word for amber, which Thales discovered conducted static electricity. Perhaps the most famous researcher of electricity is Benjamin Franklin, who sold most of his possessions to fund his research.
The relationship between nerve conduction and electricity was discovered as early as 1791 by Luigi Galvani. The late 18th and early 19th centuries saw major discoveries and inventions including electric motors, circuits, magnetism, and more.
Famous names like Nikola Tesla, Ernst Warner von Siemens, Alexander Graham Bell, and Thomas Edison all play their part in pushing electricity forward. Edison founded General Electric, Tesla began research into wireless power, von Siemens founded a telecommunications company of the same name, and Bell is credited with inventing the first practical telephone.
Today, electricity is used to generate light and heat, and to transfer energy from one area to another. It is used to cool our homes using air conditioning, refrigeration to preserve food, and battery-powered innovations such as all-electric cars that are becoming more and more practical.

Electricity is used throughout your home as a primary source of power. TAP and Sons Electric can help you understand and maintain the electrical systems in your home. Contact us at (480) 507-2900 to learn more, or visit us online or our full range of electrical services. We offer Service Panel Lifetime Warranties!