The Story of Black Gold: How Oil Shaped the Modern World and Its Enduring Curse

The year was 1859, and the date was August 27. American businessman Edwin Drake received a message that made him lose his senses. The message read: ‘Pay your debts, give up, and go home.’

At that time, Drake was searching for rock oil (crude oil). This is a type of brown, raw oil. Oil bubbles had been seen in the ground of Western Pennsylvania. Drake's objective was to extract kerosene from this rock oil to light lamps.