How did people first get electricity?

People initially harnessed electricity through natural phenomena, such as lightning, which was observed and documented by ancient civilizations. The first practical generation of electricity began in the late 18th century with experiments by scientists like Benjamin Franklin, who famously flew a kite in a storm to study electrical charges. The invention of the voltaic pile by Alessandro Volta in 1800 marked the creation of the first true battery, allowing for a steady flow of electric current. This laid the groundwork for the development of electrical technologies and the widespread use of electricity in the 19th century.