Benjamin Franklin first coined the term "battery" in 1748 to describe an array of charged glass plates.

Later in 1800, Alessandro Volta invented the voltaic pile comprising of alternating discs of zinc and copper with pieces of cardboard soaked in brine between the metals.

John F. Daniel invented the Daniel Cell in 1836 that used two Electrolytes: copper sulphate and zinc sulphate.

In 1866, French Engineer, George Leclanche invented the Leclanche's cell. His patented carbon-zinc wet cell battery was a sembled in a porous pot. The positive electrode consisted of crushed manganese dioxide with a little carbon mixed in. The negative pole was a zinc rod.