In his early life, Samuel Morse was a painter, and also the first president of the National Academy of Design.
In 1832, during a voyage home from Europe where he studied painting, Morse heard about some new discoveries in electricity. Intrigued by its possibilities, Morse soon set to work building a telegraph machine that could use electricity to send messages. Along with the machine came his invention of the dot-and-dash telegraph code that still bears his name: Morse Code.
In 1838, Morse demonstrated his telegraph before President Martin Van Buren. Later, the United States Government agreed to build a telegraph line so that Morse’s invention could be tested.
A line was set up, stretching the 40 miles between Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. And on May 24, 1844, the world’s first telegraph message was sent over that line. It consisted of just four words: “What hath God wrought.”
Related Posts
-
Where does the word “telegraph” come from and What does telegraph mean in Greek?
An old pun has it that there are three ways to spread news rapidly: telegraph, telephone, or tell a woman. But the French inventor Chappe had no pun in mind when he gave…
-
How did engineers lay the first transatlantic telegraph cable and When?
For thousands of years, communication moved only as fast as a horse could run or a ship could muster subject to the vagaries of the wind. But in the 19th century, an invention…
-
How Did Harry Houdini Send a Message From Beyond the Grave To His Wife After He Died?
Before magician Harry Houdini died, he promised his wife he would contact her if possible from the spirit world. During his life, Houdini had spent quite a bit of time running to psychics…
-
Who was Hiawatha and How did Hiawatha spread the Peacemaker’s message to the Iroquois tribes?
According to Iroquois legend, Hiawatha was an Onondaga man who refused to take revenge on those who murdered his wife and children. He instead looked for comfort in the words of a prophet…
-
Where does the phrase “to take a message to Garcia” come from and What does it mean?
The incident, in time of war, was not unusual; it was not particularly hazardous; but as dramatized by Elbert Hubbard in the March, 1900, issue of his famous magazine, The Philistine, it fired…
-
Why Are Children In Some African Countries Sent To Fight In Wars and What Is the Minimum Age To Serve?
Unfortunately, is it true that children in some African countries are sent to fight in wars. Children as young as seven or eight years old serve in the military in several African countries,…
