This course will explore the use of energy throughout human history, starting from the earliest beginnings of humanity to modern power generation. Students will consider the development of different primary energy sources over time, the history of various energy conversion and storage technologies and the establishment of modern thermal sciences.

A major focus of this course is the investigation of how these developments affected and still affect societal, economic, military and technological change and growth. Understanding the historical trends related to energy use and power generation will allow for better informed prediction of humanity’s energy future.

This course will combine engineering and social sciences to study various periods in human history, including agricultural revolutions, the industrial revolution and digital and information revolutions.

Part of Focus Program cluster: Global Energy: Past, Present and Future. Open only to first-year students in the Focus Program.