Telegraph

Telegraph: Any device or system that allows the transmission of information by coded signal over distance. The Telegraph was created in order to meet a desperate need of a more efficient long distance source of communication. In 1837, the telegraph was the first "device" created to meet that need. Before hand, Instead of using electro magnetic signals, people would use semaphore systems which is communication via flags and lights. The word "signal" was taken into consideration when Micheal Faraday invented electromagnet, and Samual Morse learned how it worked in order to better understand the vision of of using electromagnet to send electromagnetic "signals" to be a much more advanced innovation of the current long distance signal system being used. 

In the 18th century, the Atlantic coast had come to a conclusion that they absolutely needed a better way of long distance communication and posted a $30,000 workable proposal. However, This was not the driving force for Samual Morse to create a better way for long distance communication. Dating back to 1825 before Morse even remotely thought about creating the telegraph, he was an artist that was struggling to make a career out of it. Finally, he received word that he would be commissioned to paint a portrait of Marquis de Lafayette in New York. On his travels, he received a letter from his wife Lucretia explaining how she was proud of him, and how she was excited about having a third child in next day or two to which he wrote back how he missed her. A couple days went by and he did not receive any letters from his wife, but rather a letter from his father saying how Lucretia died from a heart attack during child birth. Morse was devastated and heart broken over the fact that he was unable to utilize a better, more efficient way for long distance communication. 

7 years later when Morse was on a ship back from Europe, He met a man by the name of Charles Thomas Jackson who was well educated in electromagnetism. Jackson explained to Morse they there was conversation regarding sending electrical signals through wires. This is when Morse's deep drive to come up with a better way of long distance communication become more real. In 1832, Samual Morse transitioned from painter, to inventor. It was not until 1840 that Morse sent a patent for "improvement in the mode of communicating information by signals by the application of electro-magnetism" which was granted by the United States patent office. The communication through dots and dashes as we all know now is Morse Code. 

Samual Morse did not allow a tragedy to stop him from creating one of the most innovative inventions of all time. The telegraph started a snowball effect through the electromagnet signals to later on create the radio and then the television. The Telegraph is a bedrock in technological innovation that has lead all the way to you reading this blog. The seed planted through a negative experience for Samual Morse has created a lifetime positive affect on technological innovation. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBkAF0OhiQA&t=86s

https://www.loc.gov/collections/samuel-morse-papers/articles-and-essays/invention-of-the-telegraph/