Sylvanus Bowser, inventor of the first U.S. gas pump, made his first sale to a service station in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1885.

Building and testing in his barn, Sylvanus Bowser created the first self-regulating gas pump for U.S. consumption. The pump was made with marble valves and a wooden plunger that allowed the pump to move one barrel of gasoline (about 42 gallons). Gasoline pump technology grew rapidly from that point, keeping pace with the growth of the automobile industry and the demand for more and more gasoline. Service stations began with above ground storage tanks and eventually moved to underground tanks from which car gas tanks could be filled. Early pumps were just that, pumps designed to move any liquid from one place to another. It typically took about eight minutes to fill a five-gallon car tank, so while the customer waited, service station attendants provided additional services, such as wiping windshields, checking oil and water and other such assistance. Today's self-pump mechanisms have reduced the amount of time spent pumping and increased each station's capacity for providing this high-demand product.

EconEdLink
Fill'er up, Please: A Lesson on Supply and Demand (6–8) helps students identify the factors that influence the price of a gallon of gasoline. Students examine a variety of resources intended to help them explain why gasoline prices fluctuate according to the demand and supply of a resource.

When Gas Was a Quarter! (3–5) is designed to introduce students to the Consumer Price Index as they attempt to determine why the cost of products have risen so much over time. Students define inflation and deflation as they use a variety of informational and interactive resources.

In Is the Price of Gasoline Really Too High? (9–12), students explore the issues associated with gasoline prices. The concepts of markets, resources and supply and demand are addressed as students learn what forces can move the price of gasoline.

In The Price of Gasoline: What's Behind It? (6–8), students investigate the variables that contribute to the cost of gasoline. They learn that while OPEC nations do influence the price of oil and thus the price of gasoline, other factors also influence the price.

Xpeditions
Politics and international relations can play a major role in the price of gasoline at the pump. In You've Got Oil...Or Maybe You Don't (9–12), students role-play in an international oil summit. This lesson provides students with an opportunity to learn about the production, distribution and consumption of oil, particularly in Asia.