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The observations of electrical and magnetic phenomena probably go back as far as the existence of humans. The static shock you get when you rub your feet on a carpet (during a non-humid day) and then touch a metal object, the force of lodestones on paper clips, lightning, compasses, etc. are all aspects of electric and magnetic forces. As you have already learned, these forces are considered fundamental, i.e. they are not due to some other underlying force as far as we know. Although we will not have time to learn nearly as much about them as you will in Physics 151 or Physics 2, we can consider some of their simplest aspects.
Much of the quantitative understanding of electricity and magnetism began in the mid 1700's. By then, Newton's description of force, especially gravitation, had led to almost complete understanding of the orbits of the planets and had convinced scientists that it was possible to understand all of nature in the form of mathematical reasoning provided the scientific method was applied. Benjamin Franklin, who in his time was the foremost scientist in America, made observations and correctly firmed up the theories of others who were awash in the confusion of the time. Franklin is most famous for his exploitation of the idea that electrical phenomena were tied to a kind of fluid in matter that could be gained or lost by mechanical action. Rubbing silk on glass removes some electrical fluid from the silk, leaving it ``negative'' and adds the silk's fluid to the glass, leaving it ``positive''. Franklin introduced the terms positive and negative and, most importantly, established the idea of conservation of charge. Although the fluid notion sounds suspect, it actually represents exactly what happens in nature. Electrical fluid can not be created or destroyed, simply transferred from one object to another. Therefore, the fluid must be intrinsic in matter. If we replace ``fluid'' with ``electrons'' carrying negative charge, then we have the fully modern view of static electrical phenomena.