In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

Whaling was an absolutely vital component of the early modern economy thanks to the Industrial Revolution. With the rise of industrial machinery and increasing reliance on trains, the need for vast quantities of lubricating oil drove the whaling industry to fantastic heights (whale oil’s other primary use was in lamps). In the United States, Nantucket became the undisputed whaling capital, as the island dedicated almost the whole of its resources to funding hunting expeditions.

The Nantucket whaling industry initially focused on the right whale, but quickly shifted to the sperm whale due to the superiority and greater density of its resources. Sperm whales were hunted primarily for three reasons. First, as with all whales, the animal’s blubber could be stripped and rendered down into oil. Second, waxy deposits in the whale’s digestive system known as ambergris were highly prized for use in the manufacturing of perfume. Third, and most importantly, the sperm whale was known specifically for spermaceti (or sperm oil) stored in the head cavity of the whales. This oil was the best oil known for both industrial use and as fuel for lamps.

When the whaling industry began to grow in prominence in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, whaling vessels were typically small boats that could move quickly but had a relatively restricted range.