Vintage photos of coal miners in America

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, coal has been used as a source of heat as far back as early humans walked the earth. It wasn't until the 1700s that the English discovered that coal could be used as a cleaner energy source compared to the wood charcoal that they were currently using. The Industrial Revolution in the 1700s brought coal to the forefront of energy supply with the endless amount of inventions that required coal to run.

See American coal miners below:

Coal was originally used in America in the 1300s by the Hopi Indians as a way to cook their food, warm themselves and fire their clay. Coal did not resurface in the United States until 1673. Commercial coal production wouldn't start until the 1740s in Virginia.

In the 1800s, the Industrial Revolution spread to America, where coal became the main source of energy just as it had years earlier in England.

While coal helped to power forms of transportation, such as steamboats and steam-powered trains, it also came with negative consequences. By inhaling soot and toxic gasses in the mines, workers were at risk for developing horrific conditions such as tuberculosis, black lung and cancer. Not only were they risking their health, but just being inside the mine was incredibly dangerous. Accidents involving the improper use of equipment and collapsing mines were frequent occurrences.

Coal-mining was also one of the many dangerous jobs that employed child workers. Children were perfect for squeezing into tight spaces in mines that adults could never reach. During the Industrial Revolution, child labor was at an all time high, but would later become restricted in the 19th century.