In the early 19th century people had issues with communicating over vast distances. Any information that needed to be communicated would take lengthy amounts of time and it was very inconvenient. People tried communicating with flags, smoke, and lights. However the message can only be portrayed from what you can see. So if any of those methods were out of sight you could not receive such messages. That problem took a turn for the better once the telegraph was invented. It originally was a system where there were multiple cords for communication. This method seemed to be complicated though and could lead to misinterpretation. Then a man by the name of Samuel Morse simplified it where he invented “Morse Code”, which used only one cord. Morse Code utilized dashes and dots to represent different letters.
The main advantage the telegraph brought was its ability to communicate information quickly over long distances. This communication ability lead to growth in our society. It helped the growth of our country’s railroads and markets, and minimized communication costs within companies. It also helped newspapers give stories quicker and more relevant. In summary it connected people no matter the distance that separated them.
However the telegraph saw its end when new ways of communication out competed the old fashioned telegraph. Computers and telephones came into the picture and they were quicker and easier to use. People could call each other or send emails and it got the message by much more efficiently. It had its glory but like most competitive markets the new competition won. However, without the telegraph the technological advancements we see today would not be possible, and the telegraph deserves the tip of the hat.
Works Cited
Wexler, Kara. “The Origins of the Telegraph.” The Franklin Institute, 30 June 2023, https://fi.edu/en/blog/origins-telegraph. Accessed 5 March 2024.
Nonnenmacher, Tomas. “History of the U.S. Telegraph Industry – EH.net.” Economic History Association, https://eh.net/encyclopedia/history-of-the-u-s-telegraph-industry/. Accessed 5 March 2024.