The Development of the Telegraph

Who invented the telegraph?

For centuries, people sought quick communication methods using flags, sounds, smoke, or lights. The idea for a
machine date back to the 1700s, but the telegraph was developed in the 19th century. Samuel Morse is considered
the man who truly brought the telegraph to the world, despite numerous inventors developing different versions.

Samuel Morse, an American painter, and inventor was best known for developing the single-wire telegraph system
and co-inventing the Morse code along with Alfred Vail, a technique for conveying textual information via tones.

While he was away from home working on a commission, his wife died suddenly. Because of how far away he was, by
the time he found out, she had already been buried. Morse felt firsthand the need for a quick way to send news.
Later, while on a ship, he overheard fellow passengers discussing electromagnetism, which gave him the idea for how
a telegraph might work.

What is telegraph?

Telegraph comes from the Greek word “tele” which means distance and “gramma” which means letter. From the
word itself distant, telegraph is being used as a communication tool of such person in different location.

Telegraph refers to a communication system that was widely used in the mid-19th century. It is allowed for such long-
distance transmission of messages with the use of electrical signals.

What is a Morse Code?

In addition to helping invent the telegraph, the Morse code assigned a set of dots and dashes to each letter of the
English alphabet and allowed for the simple transmission of complex messages across telegraph lines. Morse’s
system was also simpler in that it used a single wire, rather than multiple wires, to transmit the signals.

Morse Code: a set of dots and dashes to each letter of the English alphabet and allowed for the simple transmission
of complex messages across telegraph lines. Morse’s system was also simpler in that it used a single wire, rather than
multiple wires, to transmit the signals.

When and where was it invented?

Morse began working on his version of the telegraph in 1832; he developed Morse Code (a set of sounds that
corresponded to particular letters of the alphabet), in 1835; and by 1838 he had presented his concept to the U.S.
Congress. Morse demonstrated his work for Congress in 1838 and received federal funding in the early 1840s. Morse
was the first to invent the electrical telegraph, gaining political backing and a business model for its operation. In
1843, he built a telegraph system from Washington to Baltimore with Congress' financial support. The first message,
"What hath God wrought?", was sent on May 24, 1844. The system progressed slowly, but Morse continued to
spread his invention, extending it to New York.

1832: Samuel Morse began working on his version of the telegraph.

1835: The development of Morse Code.

1838: Morse demonstrated his concept to the U.S. Congress and received federal funding in the early 1840s.

1843: Samuel Morse built a telegraph system from Washington to Baltimore with Congress' financial support.

1844: Morse sent the first telegraph across this line: “What hath God wrought?” It would be the first of many
transmissions to come.
Why / How was it invented?

Telegraph is a way to improve long-distance communication. In the early days of the industrial revolution, there was a
growing need for faster and more reliable communication between businesses and government offices, which were
often located far apart. The invention of the telegraph revolutionized communication by allowing messages to be
transmitted almost instantaneously over long distances.

How does it work?

The telegraph machine, used to send messages across the world, worked on a circuit completion principle which was
achieved by pressing down the key or button.

The telegraph consisted of the following:

 network of telegraph lines

Messages were sent in the form of morse code, which used dots and dashes in which it shows off numbers and
letters. The telegraph works by transmitting electrical signals over wires. A telegraph has both a transmitter and
receiver which are both responsible for how the message will go through, The Transmitter is the telegraph or
transmission key wherein it sends a signals or message towards the receiver. Additionally, wires connect the
transmitter and receiver. These wires form a series of circuits.

To conclude, the telegraph works by transmitting signals through an electrical circuit.

The impact

The electric telegraph transformed how wars were fought, how money was sent and how newspapers conducted
business. Rather than taking weeks to be delivered by horse-and-carriage mail carts, pieces of news could be
exchanged between telegraph stations almost instantly.

By transmitting information quickly over long distances, the telegraph facilitated the growth in the railroads,
consolidated financial and commodity markets, and reduced information costs within and between firms.

The End of the Telegraph Era

The telegraph, although, proved to be helpful, the era of the utilization of telegraph also came to an end. After World
War II much new technology became available that radically changed the telegraph industry. Old wire lines were too
expensive to maintain and were replaced by coaxial cable and microwave links. Very wide-bandwidth channels
became available, allowing transmission speeds limited only by the capabilities of the terminal equipment. The trend
towards fully digital communication started in the 1960s with the introduction of the digital computer.