Invention Date | 1800 |
Inventor | Alessandro Volta and Luigi Galvani |
Influence Level | World Changing |
Further Reading | The Top 7 Most Influential Inventors of the Modern Era |
The invention of the battery forever changed both the world and history. Historians debate on when the world’s first battery was created, however in 1800 Allesandro Volta created the first modern battery by combining copper and zinc discs into a voltaic pile.
Today there are 3 ways the invention of the battery changed history. First, the battery allowed excess energy to be stored for the first time. Second, the invention of the battery led to the development of all modern electrical equipment. Third, the invention of the battery allowed for energy grid storage to be built which gave rise to modern society.
Simply put, there are few inventions that have forever altered our modern history and how the world works. For a long time before electricity generators, hand charged batteries provided the only form of electricity that famous inventors such as Benjamin Franklin could experiment with.
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Without further ado, here are the 3 ways the invention of the battery changed history.
The Invention Of The Battery Allowed Energy To Be Stored For The First Time In History
Electricity was known for about 150 years before the invention of the battery. Several prominent figures such as Benjamin Franklin would experiment with electricity over the course of their life to discover its properties.
However, this energy would dissipate immediately after it was observed. This was because there was no way to capture the electricity. In 1745 a German cleric Edwald Georg von Kleist invented what is called a Leyden Jar which could store a small percentage of electricity for a very brief amount of time.
However, in 1800 with the invention of the first modern battery the world was able to begin to store electricity and energy at a large scale. This would forever change history as now people could begin to experiment with this stored energy.
It is no coincidence that the invention of the battery coincided with the industrial revolution in England. Historians recognize the early 19th century as a time period in western history where man began to develop and experiment at a rapid pace.
Out of this time period came inventions such as the computer and steam engine that would each work to forever change history. Before these inventions however mankind invented the modern battery in 1800.
From 1800 onward people became fascinated with electricity. Over the next two centuries man would invent devices that would use batteries and stored electricity.
However, one of the 3 main ways that the invention of the battery changed history was by giving mankind the ability to store energy for the first time.
The Invention Of The Battery Led To All Modern Electrical Equipment
One of the 3 major ways that the battery forever changed history was by laying the foundation for all modern electrical equipment.
Today inventions such as electric cars, cell phones, computers, and GPS sensors all use battery technology to some degree.
A prime example of how much the invention of batteries has changed history is in the use of modern cell phones. In a 2005 article in the Journal of Online Education Marc Prensky estimates that there are currently over 1.5 billions cellphones in the world today.
Few inventions from the early 19th century have impacted that many people around the world.
However, that is only one piece of modern technology. There are easily triple that amount of portable computers, electric cars, flashlights, and many more inventions in the world which rely upon battery technology.
The invention of the battery also led to the invention of the capacitor which without all modern computers would fail.
As such one of the main ways that the invention of the battery forever changed history was by laying the foundation for all modern electrical equipment.
The Invention Of The Battery Allowed For Energy Grid Storage To Be Built Which Gave Rise To Modern Society
Another way that the invention of the battery forever changed history was by allowing for the creation of the modern energy grid.
Until Nikola Tesla invented the polyphase electric generator in 1887 it was impossible to send electricity long distances. Factories, homes, and offices had to be built next to the electricity generator.
However, once the polyphase electric generator was built there was an immediate need for something called power stations to be built across all modern nations. Here electricity would be stored to be sent to people’s homes or factories.
Without the invention of the battery this would have never been possible. There would be no way of storing electricity to send around the world.
As such it would have been impossible for our modern world to grow to where it is. Without the invention of the battery our modern history would look completely different.
As such, the invention of the battery forever changed history by allowing for energy grid storage to become a possibility.
Conclusion
There you have it; an entire article dedicated to the 3 ways the invention of the battery changed history forever.
There are few inventions which forever changed how our modern society would progress. The battery is one of those. Several prominent authors have written books detailing what our history and modern life would have looked like without the invention of the battery.
Here at The History Ace I strive to publish the best history articles on the internet. If you enjoyed this article then feel free to sign up for the newsletter and share around the internet.
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Sincerely,
Nick