Patchtowns: Big Industry, Little Towns

Is flipping a switch and lighting up a room normal or miraculous? It depends where—and when—you live. Crash Course World History covers historical uses of energy, current uses of energy, and the possible future uses of energy with an...

The first coal mine was opened in Cape Breton in 1720. Read about the long history of coal mining there, mining techniques, how coal is formed, the industry's impact on immigration, coal miners' unionization, etc. There is a detailed...

This site is based on the book The California Gold Country: Highway 49 Revisited by Elliot H. Koeppel. This page provides an interactive map showing gold mining camps that have survived and exist as towns today. Most of the place names...

Students examine a timeline of coal mining in the US and research how the policies of coal dependent companies have changes over the last 50 years.

Presented is a fascinating detailed account of the 1913-1914 Colorado Coal Strike that went on for 14 months and resulted in 66 deaths. Although the coal miners lost, they ultimately came to see the strike as a victory in many ways....

NPR has documented the Sago Mine Disaster and has also provided glimpses into the lives of mine workers and the coal culture of the Appalachians.

The Lehigh Valley became a major part of the Industrial Revolution after coal was discovered in the area. In this short video, learn about the canal system that was built as a way to transport the coal from the local mines to New York...

Explore the coal boom of the late 1860s and learn about the difficult lives of the miners and their families.

Young scholars explore the life and accomplishments of Carter G. Woodson, the father of black history. They read and discuss his educational pursuits and discover he was the second black man in history to receive a doctor's degree....

This collection uses primary sources to explore coal mining and labor in West Virginia.