The Industrial Revolution was consumed with ground breaking inventions around the world. However, one that has and will continue to impact the world is the telegraph. Developed in the 1830s and 1840s by Samuel Morse. the telegraph revolutionized long-distance communication. From this the impact, change and need of the telegraph will be discussed also.
The telegraph made slight direct impact on most people's lives. It was a 'specialist' technology, owned by companies and operated by professionals. But the indirect impact of the telegraph was huge. Things started working more rapidly and efficiently, starting with the railways and quickly spreading to the transport of goods and supplies. The better speed and reliability of railways and steamships …show more content…
Prior to the telegraph, communication in the 1830s was about the same as it had been in the years just after Gutenberg's invention of the printing press. It took days, weeks, and even months for messages to be sent from one location to a far-flung position. After the telegraph cable was pushed from coast to coast in the 1850s, a message from London to New York could be sent in mere minutes, and the world suddenly became much smaller. The world was alienated into isolated regions. There was restricted knowledge of national or international news, and that which was shared was generally out of date. After the telegraph, the world changed. It seemed as if information could be sent instantaneously by the 1850s, the telegraph would alter business, politics and war. It would make the world smaller, erase national rivalries and contribute to the establishment of world peace. It would make newspapers outmoded. The idea and birth of the telegraph is something we rarely reflect on today as we indulge in the amazing technology that allows us to communicate globally with such ease, but in fact it was the telegraph which paved the way for the internet, telephones and radio.
Although there were many pros to the telegraph there were also some cons and negative effects. The telegraph phases out the use of the newspapers. When messages could be sent and received in mere minutes, why would anyone spend money on outdated news? The invention of the telegraph almost rendered newspapers useless, and although the newspaper companies manage to hang on – if only by a thread – it still would have put many people out of
The telegraph made slight direct impact on most people's lives. It was a 'specialist' technology, owned by companies and operated by professionals. But the indirect impact of the telegraph was huge. Things started working more rapidly and efficiently, starting with the railways and quickly spreading to the transport of goods and supplies. The better speed and reliability of railways and steamships …show more content…
Prior to the telegraph, communication in the 1830s was about the same as it had been in the years just after Gutenberg's invention of the printing press. It took days, weeks, and even months for messages to be sent from one location to a far-flung position. After the telegraph cable was pushed from coast to coast in the 1850s, a message from London to New York could be sent in mere minutes, and the world suddenly became much smaller. The world was alienated into isolated regions. There was restricted knowledge of national or international news, and that which was shared was generally out of date. After the telegraph, the world changed. It seemed as if information could be sent instantaneously by the 1850s, the telegraph would alter business, politics and war. It would make the world smaller, erase national rivalries and contribute to the establishment of world peace. It would make newspapers outmoded. The idea and birth of the telegraph is something we rarely reflect on today as we indulge in the amazing technology that allows us to communicate globally with such ease, but in fact it was the telegraph which paved the way for the internet, telephones and radio.
Although there were many pros to the telegraph there were also some cons and negative effects. The telegraph phases out the use of the newspapers. When messages could be sent and received in mere minutes, why would anyone spend money on outdated news? The invention of the telegraph almost rendered newspapers useless, and although the newspaper companies manage to hang on – if only by a thread – it still would have put many people out of