Imagine trying to make plans with a friend and it takes a month even to get a response, annoying right? The telegraph was first invented in 1838 in both the United States and Great Britain? The invention of the telegraph followed a tragic event experienced by Samuel Morse, who was unaware of the death of his wife until months later due to the lack of technological communication forms at the time. This caused Morse to become determined to find a way to advance technological communication and to get rid of the “snail mail” that took ages to send and receive.
In the 1700s, technology was not advanced enough to support the idea of the telegraph; therefore, mail was the primary form of communication. However, this mail took days or even months to arrive, depending on where it was sent. The invention of the telegraph by Morse heavily relied on the battery, as the battery allowed the electric current to not only exist but to actually work. It also relied on the use of a code system, which consisted of dots and dashes.
The telegraph also caused uproars in the economic landscape of the U.S. regarding businesses and the stock market. With business operations, companies were now better able to communicate about factors such as conditions, manage supply chains, and coordinate activities across various distances and jurisdictions. As for the stock market, the telegraph allowed for real-time updates on both stock prices and market conditions, which led to more dynamic trading practices.
Perhaps one of the most important insights Morse had that previous inventors did not was the idea of a coding system, specifically Morse Code. He developed a simple and effective coding system that could transmit complex messages using a combination of dots and dashes. This was more efficient than earlier systems, which often relied on cumbersome mechanical devices or complex symbols.
By 1861, telegraph currents were running across the U.S. and aiding in conversations, including political discussions. Because of the invention of the telegraph, timing in communication became much easier and significantly sped up how fast people could communicate through technology.