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3500 BCE
The Early History of Communication
Humans have communicated with one another in some shape or form ever since time immemorial. Dated to 3500 BC, the stone features proto- cuneiform signs, basically rudimentary symbols that convey meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object. -
3500 BCE
The Kish Tablet
Discovered in the ancient Sumerian city of Kish, has inscriptions considered by some experts to be the oldest form of known writing. -
Oct 19, 1436
Johannes Gutenberg and the Printing Press
Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press with replaceable/moveable wooden or metal letters in 1436 (completed by 1440). -
The History of the Electric Telegraph and Telegraphy
The non-electric telegraph was invented by Claude Chappe in 1794. -
Telegraph Systems Emerge Based on the Electromagnet
In 1830, an American, Joseph Henry (1797-1878), demonstrated the potential of William Sturgeon's electromagnet for long distance communication by sending an electronic current over one mile of wire to activate an electromagnet which caused a bell to strike. -
Samuel Morse
While a professor of arts and design at New York University in 1835, Samuel Morse proved that signals could be transmitted by wire. He used pulses of current to deflect an electromagnet, which moved a marker to produce written codes on a strip of paper - the invention of Morse Code. -
Gutenberg Press
The Gutenberg press with its wooden and later metal movable type printing brought down the price of printed materials and made such materials available for the masses.