Evolution of the Telephone
The Evolution of the Telephone
Thanks to Alexander Graham Bell, you can “hear me now,” whenever and wherever you want. From a way to improve the telegraph to the smartphones we carry with us, the telephone has seen an evolution in technology like no other device. For the thirty years prior to its development, the only form of communicating with someone over long distances was either through the telegraph or by letter. As our country continued to expand, a better way to communicate was needed. By looking to improve the existing technology of the time, Alexander Graham Bell gave birth to a device that has long outlived its inventor. The evolution of the telephone has been one of the most positive and significant advancements in society, allowing us to be connected to our family, friends, and work from anywhere in the world. Alexander Graham Bell’s invention has changed the world and the way we connect with each other, in a way nothing else has ever done. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1847, Bell became interested in “new ways to study and explore the production, transmission, and perception of sound” (Shulman 44). When he was 16 years old, his curiosity in this field was fueled by a visit to the lab of British scientist, Sir Charles Wheatstone. Wheatstone had built an artificial speaking machine that he demonstrated to Bell. Returning from his visit, Bell wrote, “I saw Sir Charles manipulate the machine and heard it speak, and although the articulation was disappointingly crude, it made a great impression upon my mind” (Shulman 44). Bell’s work in this field accelerated when Western Union offered to pay up to one million dollars to the inventor who could ease the congestion in their telegraph lines, by allowing them to carry multiple messages simultaneously. In the 1870s, Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray, two inventors, both designed devices, which could transmit
Thanks to Alexander Graham Bell, you can “hear me now,” whenever and wherever you want. From a way to improve the telegraph to the smartphones we carry with us, the telephone has seen an evolution in technology like no other device. For the thirty years prior to its development, the only form of communicating with someone over long distances was either through the telegraph or by letter. As our country continued to expand, a better way to communicate was needed. By looking to improve the existing technology of the time, Alexander Graham Bell gave birth to a device that has long outlived its inventor. The evolution of the telephone has been one of the most positive and significant advancements in society, allowing us to be connected to our family, friends, and work from anywhere in the world. Alexander Graham Bell’s invention has changed the world and the way we connect with each other, in a way nothing else has ever done. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1847, Bell became interested in “new ways to study and explore the production, transmission, and perception of sound” (Shulman 44). When he was 16 years old, his curiosity in this field was fueled by a visit to the lab of British scientist, Sir Charles Wheatstone. Wheatstone had built an artificial speaking machine that he demonstrated to Bell. Returning from his visit, Bell wrote, “I saw Sir Charles manipulate the machine and heard it speak, and although the articulation was disappointingly crude, it made a great impression upon my mind” (Shulman 44). Bell’s work in this field accelerated when Western Union offered to pay up to one million dollars to the inventor who could ease the congestion in their telegraph lines, by allowing them to carry multiple messages simultaneously. In the 1870s, Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray, two inventors, both designed devices, which could transmit
Cited: Bellis, Mary. "The History of the Telephone - Alexander Graham Bell." About.com Inventors. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. "AMST 222." : Can You Hear Me Now?: The Positive Effects of the Telephone on Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. "History 1940-Today." History 1940-Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. Shulman, Seth. The Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bell 's Secret. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2008. Print.