In the year 1809 a man named Samuel Soemmering invented a new way of communication. This device is called a telegraph and consisted of 35 wires with gold electrodes placed in water. The telegraph was used to communicate through electric signals that translated into messages. After the “crude” version was made, Harrison Dyer later made a better model that used electrical sparks through chemically treated paper tape to burn dots and dashes. The Dyer model became a part of communication for America in 1828. The impact that this invention had on society was that it helped keep in communication with other states as well as make jobs for companies that translated incoming messages as well as sending messages for customers. The invention also made other think of ways to improve the telegraph into a more “modern”,at the time, piece of technology.
Source:http://inventors.about.com/od/tstartinventions/a/telegraph.htm
The telegraph was one of the best ways to communicate in the 1800’s, that is until two inventors by the names of Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell made a fascinating device that could transmit speech electronically. These two inventors may have both had a great idea, but only one prevailed with the patent of the telephone. Bell was the first one to make it to the patent office with this creation and was deemed creator, which caused a large legal battle over the patent and Bell ended up winning. The telephone was like the telegraph because it was also wire based, this was mostly due to Bell simply trying to improve the telegraph. The year 1876 marked the death of the telegraph as the telephone took hold of the nation as the best way to communicate with one another. The first words spoken through the telephone were from Bell, “Mr. Watson — come here — I want to see you.”
Source: http://inventors.about.com/od/bstartinventors/a/telephone.htm
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