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Essay on The Invention of the Telegraph and Morse Code

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The telegraph was the first major advancement in communication technology. In 1838, Samuel Morse perfected and demonstrated the first telegraph machine. His machine used Morse code to send electronic currents along a wire, allowing the first high speed long distance communications. By the 1850s, the telegraph was widespread. In 1861, Western Union installed the first trans-continental line and by 1866, the first trans-Atlantic line was completed. At this time, telegraphs were all keyed by hand and transcribed from Morse code to English by ear. Fredrick Creed invented a way to convert Morse code into text in what became known as the Creed Telegraph System. That was in 1900, and by 1914, these automatic transmissions handled twice what a…show more content…
Phones continued to develop clearer signals and longer ranges. The first cell phone, produced in 1947, was the car phone. However, it only worked when driving on the highway between Boston and New York. In 1973, the first portable phone call was placed, and by 1991 mobile phones were available to the public. By 2001, these newly developed cell phones overshadowed payphones and were an integral part of American daily life.
Similar to the telegraph, the invention of the telephone made instant communication a possibility. Far more effective than the telegraph, the phone allowed for the spread of more information over a shorter period. Writing was no longer the only form of long distance communication. Telephones encouraged the progress of city centers and office buildings. The importance of messengers and telegraphs dwindled as the telephone industry expanded. By the early 21st century, constant connection to the entire planet through cell phones was an American standard.
Another technological innovation was the development of electronic mail, or email. Technically speaking, the telegraph was the first electronic mail. The next advancement of the electronic mail industry was the telex network, an advanced form of the telegraph that is still used today. From the 1940s to the 1980s, businesses widely utilized the telex network. In the 1960s and 1970s, many companies used mainframe and mini computers with
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