On June 20, 1840 Samuel F.B. Morse was accredited as the inventor of the Telegraph. This “Wonder Working Wire” as some called it, began to change the 19th century and project what the possibilities were for the future of national communications. Morse had gotten his inspiration to invent this machine from the works of Andre Ampere of France, Alessandro Volta of Italy, and Joseph Henry of the United States. These men’s curiosity of electromagnetism sparked Morse’s idea to create a device that would send messages telegraphically, through the use of electricity. Through a series of taps on the telegraph, a code later named Morse code was created as means of communication from one location to the next. As the development continued, in 1842 he tried an experiment to conjoin wires from Washington D.C. to Baltimore, and succeeded. By 1846 most eastern cities were connected by the telegraph. Although costly at $1 per word, this revolutionary piece brought people and families alike together by connecting them through distance.
1. How has the invention of the telegraph changed the culture of the 19th century compared to the America we know today? How do our values differentiate?
2. What are some examples as to how the econonmy changed from the telegraph and opportunities that arose from it?
3. What do you think could have inspired Samuel Morse to create the telegraph?
Hi Mercedes,
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1. How has the invention of the telegraph changed the culture of the 19th century compared to the America we know today? How do our values differentiate?
The "Wonder Working Wire"
It’s was a great turn in the history of the whole world. Morse’s invention was a revolution. From that point the speed of information had become as never before fast. It was success, which later on connected all major cities in US and then Europe. Congress immediately voted to build an experimental line between Washington D.C., and Baltimore. More then fifty thousand miles of wires webbed the nation by 1861. Morse was a skilled entrepreneur who grew rich from his invention.
Now you can imagine what era had been started in 1840. The electronic world was conceived from that point. From simple dots and dashes we grow to internet, cell phones, radio, television and more.
2. What are some examples as to how the economy changed from the telegraph and opportunities that arose from it?
The world was changed completely. American businesses, nwespapers, government, and everyday life. The telegraph allowed railroads to run safely according to precise schedules. Investors from across the country could learn the latest stock prices from the New York Stock Exchange. News could be gathered from other parts of the country so quickly. The telegraph met so many needs and simplified life in thousand times.
3. What do you think could have inspired Samuel Morse to create the telegraph?
I think it was a time of progress and innovations when America just began grow up. Time of change and inventions. Morse was inspired by everything that was happening in front of his eyes. He was definitely was inspired by Andre Ampere, Alessandro Volta and Joseph Henry. But beside of these great people at that time was everything growing: roads, ship canals, transportations, trains, business, government, newspapers. I think he had a lot of different sours of inspiration.