In school we are usually taught that Thomas Edison discovered the light bulb, and hence, discovered electricity. This is simply not the case. There are many contributors to the discovery of electricity, predating Edison by over 100 years.

The first most important event to note in the discovery of harnessing electricity is in 1752. Benjamin Franklin's kite experiments were the first to prove that lightning is electricity. He also understood that electricity had both positive and negative charges. All further knowledge of electricity was based on his experiments and understanding.

In the early 1800s, Humphrey Davy created a powerful electric lamp known as an "arc lamp". This lamp produced light by taking two charcoal roads and creating an electric spark between them. However, it was too bright and required too much power to be of much use to most people.

Michael Faraday is another important person to remember when learning about the history of electricity. Not only did he invent the first electric motor in 1821, he also invented an induction ring in 1831, which proved that electricity can be made by changing an electromagnetic field. Our modern-day understanding of electricity is based partially on his findings.

In 1844, Samuel Morse created the electric telegraph. This nifty device was used to send messages across long distances, and is also where the Morse Code originated.

Joseph Swan created the first incandescent light bulb in 1878. However, his bulbs burnt out so quickly that they were almost useless, and when Thomas Edison came out with his bulb in 1879 that could last for 40 hours, Thomas Edison received the credit for the invention of the light bulb. A brilliant entrepreneur, by 1880 his light bulbs could last up to 1200 hours.

After the light bulb was invented, things really started to take off. Electric companies started opening all over the world, and electric lights were used in cities. Electric streetcars were invented, electric generators became popular and power lines started popping up everywhere around the late 1800s and early 1900s. Of course, with the invention of the telephone, the television and the computer, electricity is the most commonly used piece of technology around today.

Nowadays electricity is so commonplace that it's easy to forget its history, and to take it for granted. Now there are whole fields of study, such as electrical engineering, and complete careers, such as the ones held by licensed electricians, who devote their minds and their work to the intricacies and wonders of electricity.