Windmills have been an important part of American history. The technology helped rural development to flourish. Even today, windmills are an important part of our culture and increasingly a part our everyday lives.
Windmills first became popular in the United States in the mid-1800s in the rural Midwest.
The blades on windmills harness the energy of the wind, using it to turn the gears. These gears were often connected to a pump system to pull water from the ground.
Windmills allowed farmers and settlers to live in areas that might have otherwise been too dry to sustain them.
Even with all the technological advances since the time that windmills were invented, their basic design has remained unchanged for more than 120 years.
The size of a windmill was determined by factors such as the depth and size of the aquifer beneath it. In the past, settlers opted for the most efficient size to utilize as much of the water as possible.
Today, windmills--often called wind turbines--are commonly used to generate electricity. Wind energy is more environmentally friendly than other forms of energy production, such as burning coal.
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