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Birth of Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was born to Eliza Bell and Alexander Melville Bell in Edinburgh, Scotland (Foster 470-472). His mother suffered from deafness, and both his father and grandfather, Alexander Bell, were elocution professors, his father also created the method of visible speech (Foster 470-472) (pbs.org). His exposure to the knowledge of sound and communication during his early life influenced his career path and focus on the improvement of communication throughout his lifetime. -
Australian Voting Ballot
In March of 1856, jurist Henry Samuel Chapman's electoral law was passed in Victoria, Australia, requiring the use of ballots and enclosures while voting for privacy. The next month, Francis S. Dutton, argued for a similar law to be passed in Southern Australia. Victoria’s Electoral Act of 1856 spread throughout the world quickly, both to Great Britain and the colonies. Today, the law requiring ballots and booths is still used to protect voters' privacy (newyorker.com). -
Chinese Reform
Chinese reform efforts began in the 1860s, with the goal of making their education and political systems equivalent to the west. Western education and technology was used alongside Chinese ancient traditions to balance the power struggle between the reformers and conservatives (afe.easia.columbia.edu). The reforms in the 1860s led to China's current success. Today, China is ranked as the best public educator in the world, and has the third strongest military (english-online) (globalfirepower). -
The Fifteenth Amendment was Ratified
The fifteenth amendment was passed by Congress on February 26, 1869. Nearly a year later, it was ratified; it stated, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Although, white supremacists used other tactics to try to deny African American men their right to vote, the ratification marked an important event in the constant fight for equality(crf-usa.org). -
The Bell's Emigration to Canada
During the late 1800s tuberculosis spread through the British Isles; both Bell's brothers died from the disease. Bell's father feared for the health of his remaining family and as a result relocated the family to Canada in 1870. Alexander Melville Bell was well known and had previously lectured in the U.S. on his teaching methods to the deaf, so both him and his son, Alexander Graham Bell were easily able to find work at schools for teaching the deaf (McCormick 7-14). -
Bell's Invention of the Phonautograph
Bell experimented with the ear of a cadaver he borrowed from Harvard Medical School (Hylander 126-139). He hoped to make a devise that would be able to pick up sounds and translate them into symbols; he invented the phonautograph as a result. The invention made him realize a membrane similar to the eardrum could be used to translate airwaves made by speech into electrical currents, which could possibly travel through wire. His invention led to his first idea of the telephone (McCormick 7-14). -
Harmonic Telegraph Experiment
Bell and his assistant, Watson, worked on creating the harmonic telegraph in their Boston workshop. One of the transmitter keys in the devise was stuck to a magnet, causing the receiving key to fail to vibrate. Watson plucked the key, allowing it to vibrate freely, but in response the corresponding receiving key made a musical note. The experiment led Bell to believe vocal transmission was possible. Later that day, he wrote his investor, Hubbard, telling him of the discovery (McCormick 7-14). -
First Intelligible Sentence Recognized Through the Telephone
After the discovery while inventing the harmonic telegraph, Bell began inventing the telephone the next night. He received the patent for his device on February 14, 1876, but it wasn't until March 10th of that year the first complete sentence was spoken and understood through the device. Bell accidentally spoke the message, "Mr. Watson, come here; I want you" into the telephone and it was received by Watson. The message marked the success of his device and showed its future (Hylander 126-139). -
Bell's Telephone's Debut at the Philadelphia Contennial Exposition
A month after the first sentence was spoken through the telephone, Bell showed his invention at the Philadelphia Contennial Exposition (Foster 470-472). Emperor Dom Pedro of Brazil was one of the many people impressed by the telephone; amazed he said, "My word! It speaks Portuguese!" and later ordered 100 telephones from Bell (Beck et. al. 673).The expositions Bell demonstrated his device at exposed his invention to the public and gained him popularity (Foster 470-472). -
Bell's Marriage and Honeymoon
Bell married Mabel Hubbard, the daughter of one of his financiers, on July 11, 1877. She had previously been one of his students and suffered from deafness. Throughout their marriage they had four children together. On their honeymoon, the couple traveled to England where Bell hoped to introduce the telephone to the Europeans. He even demonstrated the invention to the Queen. The English Scientific Community was amazed by his device and awarded him an English Patent (Hylander 126-139). -
The Beginning of the Oxford English Dictionary's Creation
In 1857, members of the Philological Society of London decided that existing English language dictionaries were incomplete and suggested the history of the language from Anglo-Saxon times onward should be researched. In 1879, the Society made an agreement with the Oxford University Press and James A. H. Murray to begin creating a New English Dictionary. The Oxford English Dictionary offers much more knowledge on the English language than what had previously existed (public.oed.com). -
Bell was Awarded the Volta Prize by France
When Bell was 33 years old he traveled to Europe to receive the Volta Prize for his electric telephone. France awarded him 50,000 Francs for his invention. Bell used the money to create The Volta Laboratory which he used for experimental work. His company, The Bell Company also employed many scientists such as Emile Berliner to conduct experiements there to improve the telephone, and learn more about science (Hylander 126-139). -
The Spanish-American War of 1898
The U.S. hoped to rid the west of European powers and pitied Cubans who fought for their independence for 3 years prior to the war. The explosion of a U.S. battleship without cause, resulted in the outbreak of war. The American victory secured the U.S. as a Pacific power, gave the U.S. control of Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Hawaii, allowed the U.S. to establish its dominance in the Caribbean and "to pursue its strategic and economic interests in Asia." (history.state.gov). -
The Foundation of the Aerial Experiment Association
After 1895, aviation became Bell's focus. In 1907 Bell founded the Aerial Experiment Association. It brought together Glenn Curtis, Francis Baldwin, and other great scientists who together were able to learn much more about the science of flight (Foster 470-572). In 1907, Bell also designed and flew his 42-foot kite, aerodrome, which he towed by a boat. Later that year, he carried Lieutenant Selfridge, in the air by a kite for several minutes, at several hundred feet (Hyalnder 126-139). -
Start of World War I
Prior to World War I, tensions among European countries had been building. In Sarajevo, Bosnia, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. The Austria-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia shortly after, causing allies to support both sides, and involve many countries. The war not only led to the second world war and caused the death of millions, it continues to cause divisions among countries today(history.com). -
Alexander Graham Bell's Death
Alexander Graham Bell died at 2 o'clock in the morning of August 2, 1922 at Beinn Breagh, his estate near Baddeck. His health had been failing throughout his seventy-sixth year, but his death was unexpected. Fortunately, his family was with him at the time of his death, and he was able to pass in peace (nytimes.com). Later, during his funeral, telephone lines across Canada and the United States went silent for one minute to recognize the loss of a man who had affected many lives (wired.com).
