What role did coal play in shaping America into what it is today?

Question

Can anyone get me the lyrics to coal miner's daughter?

"It made people accept air pollution in exchange for material goods."

Perhaps this is so in some sense? This is not the answer or near the answer that I am looking for though. It was a great part of our history.

"However, the role that cole played in making America what it is today is a significant economic role. It provided cheap fuel for running locomotives and to create electricity. Without it, we would not have had the ability to develop more fuel efficient methods of heating and fueling locomotives"

It's more then that even!

"Coal fueled the machinery and, factories which, ushered in the industrial revolution and, made AMERICA the industrial and, technological giant that it is today."

This is correct to, but go one or two or a few steps further, and tell me what do you see then?

It was not the coal itself, it was the ideas of how to use that coal, the ideas to organize the production. It was the idea of mass production, factory / concentrated land ownership, schools, production, and workers. This idea came to be viewed as the natural order of things, or the white man's rule, which they did with a mix of naivete, compassion, and brutality.

Up until about 1820 most people besides rulers and a few large land owners were relatively poor, but basically equal. This helped the wealthy who started this country and in other countries to take advantage of the poor when the new technology came. As transportation methods changed, as electricity came around, and new technology was found it created industries of mass production, and mass production industries created ownership of technology which produced political power. The new Industrial Empires became the global political manisfestations of power for Brittain and the United States over the rest of the world. They created a large military and financial advantage over one sixth of humanity.

Answer 1

Coal is an abundant energy source. Energy is what drives an economy, without it you have no manufacturing or industry.

Coal mining is nasty work, but a big business. It led to many labor issues, some of which are unresolved to this day I'm sure. But it was the foundation for the economy.

Also it's great for barbecueing. And everyone knows that America is the country it is today because of the Barbecue.

Answer 2

I can't get you the lyrics, but you can google them.

However, the role that cole played in making America what it is today is a significant economic role. It provided cheap fuel for running locomotives and to create electricity. Without it, we would not have had the ability to develop more fuel efficient methods of heating and fueling locomotives.

Answer 3

It could not be done with human labor alone, and it didn't only happen in the U.S. Iron needs fuel and carbon to smelt, and steam power needs fuel. On a small scale this can be done with wood, but there isn't nearly enough wood to supply a large demand for iron and power. Coal supplied power, iron and the beginning of a chemical industry. Comparing it to the present, imagine suddenly having no oil. You'd lose not only fuel but also most plastics. That's how important coal was.

Answer 4

Coal fueled the machinery and, factories which, ushered in the industrial revolution and, made AMERICA the industrial and, technological giant that it is today.

Answer 5

It made people accept air pollution in exchange for material goods.