The telegraph is defined as any system that allows the transmission of encoded information by signal across a distance. The earliest forms of telegraphy were probably smoke, fire or drum signals. In the late 18th century, optical telegraphs were invented.
In the United States, the electrical telegraph was developed by Samuel Morse in 1836, an alternative design that was capable of transmitting over long distances using wire.
By 1861, telegraph lines crossed the American continent; by 1866, the transatlantic cable connected America and Europe.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/invention-of-the-telegraph.html
I did an article on Morse. Pretty cool stuff. And it wasn't until 1866 that the country was connected by both rail and wire. From there the country took off, with the help of a few other things of course. I never thought of smoke signals as counting as a way to communicate messages, but it's true. If you wave something over the smoke to create bursts, then people can actually get an understanding of your distress call, or whatever it might be. Very neat.
ReplyDeleteWhen this first appeared in towns across the country, it blew their minds. They could not believe it. Just like today, when something new comes on the market, we are shocked and are curious.
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