Bitcoin: A Peer to Peer Electronic Cash System

Satoshi Nakamoto's paper proposes Bitcoin, a peer-to-peer electronic cash system. The core innovation is solving the double-spending problem using a distributed timestamp server based on proof-of-work. This proof-of-work creates a continuously growing chain of transaction blocks, secured by the computational effort required to add new blocks. The longest chain represents the valid transaction history, making it computationally infeasible to alter past transactions. The system incentivizes participation by rewarding block creators with newly minted bitcoins and transaction fees.