The Rise of the Oil Industry in America

The oil and gasoline industry in the U.S. began with Edwin Drake’s 1859 oil

well in Titusville, Pennsylvania, which marked the first successful commercial drilling.

By the late 19th century, oil became a critical part of the Second Industrial Revolution.

Initially, kerosene, a flammable, combustible hydrocarbon liquid derived from

petroleum, was used as a fuel for heating, lighting, and power for lamps,

was the main oil. With the rise of the automobile in the early 1900s, gasoline became

increasingly valuable. The growth of companies like Ford Motor Company and the spread of cars created

explosive demand for gasoline. The oil boom led to the construction of pipelines,