Large-scale commercial whaling began off the New England coast around 1712 with the capture of the first sperm whale by Nantucket whalers.63 Key ports included Nantucket, New Bedford (which became the "whaling capital of the world" in the 19th century), Martha's Vineyard, Provincetown, Mystic (Connecticut), Sag Harbor (Long Island).63 Initially coastal (right whales), it expanded to deep waters (sperm whales) and then globally, including the South Atlantic, Pacific (from 1790), and Arctic (from 1848) in search of new whale populations.63 The main species hunted were the right whale, sperm whale (for oil and spermaceti for candles and lubricants), and the bowhead whale (for blubber and long baleen).63 Products included oil for lighting (lamps, lighthouses) and industrial lubrication, spermaceti for high-quality candles, baleen for corsets and other uses, and ambergris (a rare and valuable intestinal substance used in perfumes).63 The industry peaked in the mid-19th century (1840s-1850s), when the American fleet dominated global whaling (over 700 of 900 whaling ships).64 Crews were diverse, including Americans, Native Americans (Wampanoag, Narragansett), Hawaiians, Azoreans, and African Americans (including fugitive enslaved people).63 Voyages were long (up to 30 months or more), dangerous, and conditions on board were difficult.63 A distinct culture developed, including the art of scrimshaw (carving on whale bone/tooth).63 The decline began after the discovery of oil in Pennsylvania in 1859, which offered a cheaper alternative for lighting and lubrication, although whaling continued for decades.63 The American Civil War also impacted the fleet. The last whaling ship from New Bedford sailed in 1929.63