Anthracite coal was found in the eastern region of Pennsylvania. Anthracite coal is also known as hard coal, which contains the highest carbon content and fewest impurities, thus is listed as the highest quality among other mineral coals. The coals were formed during the Carboniferus Period where at that time, Pennsylvania was a hot, moist plain covered with swamp forests which is favorable for coal-forming (“Mine Water Resources of Anthracite Coal Fields of Pennsylvania”, n.d.). It was first found around 1762 in Pennsylvania. At that time, the use of anthracite coal was restricted because people claimed that it was hard to transport goods in northeastern of Pennsylvania. Besides, the coal mining industry was still undeveloped as people still haven’t realize the importance of coal. …show more content…
Canals were the first step which will lead to the coal revolution by connecting the anthracite coal fields to the eastern cities in Pennsylvania. By 1828, the opening of the canals like Lehigh Canal, Schuylkill Canal, and Delaware & Hudson Canal, the canal companies had greatly expanded the commercial market for anthracite coals. These man-made waterways enabled the coals to be transported in a great amount with a cheaper cost on water. In addition, the War of 1812 was another factor to increase the usage of anthracite coal. Before the War of 1812, people from United States purchased their fuel needs from Britain and Virginia’s bituminous coal. The British blockade of United States ports during the war had limited the supply of bituminous coal of Britain into United States, and at the same time, Virginia was in shortage of supply too, thus causing a fuel crisis in United States (Adams,2014). As a result, the Americans were forced to start using anthracite coals due to lack of bituminous