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History of Letters

By rylhedin
  • Period: 1900 BCE to 1801 BCE

    Phonetic System

    The phonetic system is among the first non-glyph writing systems not to use pictorial signs. With phonetic systems, symbols refer to vocal sounds. Our modern alphabet represents a phonetic form of communication. Remnants of such systems first appeared around the 19th century B.C. (1900 B.C.-1801 B.C.)
  • 1200 BCE

    The Writing Language

    The Writing Language
    The writing language first appeared in China around 1200 B.C. Letters have existed from ancient India, ancient Egypt, and Sumer, through Rome, Greece, and China, up to the present day. During the 17th and 18th centuries, letters were used to self-educate. The main purposes of letters were to send information, news, and greeting.
  • 550 BCE

    The First Postal Office

    The First Postal Office
    The first actual postal service likely originated in ancient Persia around 550 B.C.
  • 500 BCE

    The First Handwritten Note

    The First Handwritten Note
    The first ever handwritten letter was thought to have been sent by the Persian Queen Atossa in around 500 B.C.
  • 14 BCE

    Long-distance Communication

    As humans neared the end of the B.C. period, systems of long-distance communication started to become more commonplace. In the year 14, the Romans established the first postal service in the western world.
  • Period: 1041 to 1048

    Invention of Papermaking

    Meanwhile, in 1041 and 1048, in the Far East, China was making progress in opening channels for communication among the masses. With a well-developed writing system and messenger services, the Chinese would be the first to invent paper and papermaking. During the same time (1041 and 1048) the Chinese invented the first moveable type for printing paper books.
  • 1437

    First Metal Movable Type System

    First Metal Movable Type System
    While the technology underwent other advancements, such as metal movable type, it wasn’t until a German smithy named Johannes Gutenberg built Europe’s first metal movable type system that mass printing would experience a revolution. Gutenberg’s printing press, developed between 1436 and 1450, that introduced several key innovations. Altogether, this allowed for a practical system for printing books in a way that was efficient and economical.

  • First Newspaper

    First Newspaper
    Around 1605, a German publisher named Johann Carolus printed and distributed the world’s first newspaper.

  • The First Photograph

    In the 19th century, people were ready to move beyond the printed word, people wanted photographs on paper, except they didn’t know it yet. Not up until the first photograph was taken in 1822.