#4: EOTO

 

    The telegraph refers to more than just the electric telegraph, since the beginning of recorded history, telegraphs have been used to communicate over long distances. Examples of early telegraphs include tall tower-like structures which used reflective light of the sun to transmit signals to nearby villages. Or even earlier, smoke signals were used to send signals and show locations of camps. Overall, the electric telegraph was only the result of many years of electrical innovation that resulted in the much faster and more typical way we think of a telegraph.
    
    Electric telegraphs had been around for some number of years before the one we might typically think of today used in the Civil War era of America. notably, the inventor of the Civil War telegraph noted a European telegraph which showed similar results to his plans; however, was far too complicated while he was more simplistic and efficient. 

Samuel Morse was the inventor of the American telegraph, he was also the creator of the morse code which was used to send information via electrical signals through the telegraph. While the term telegraph can be broken down into two parts, "tele" which in Greek means distant, and "graphein" which in Greek refers to writing or communication, Samuel Morse's telegraph would span even greater distances than its predecessors. 

    After many years of conferencing with the American Congress, the bill was finally passed to allow Samuel Morse to construct his prototype telegraph from Washington D.C. to Baltimore for 30,000 dollars. Within Samuel Morse's lifetime, he would see his electric telegraph grow exponentially as it traveled further west in America and eventually would even connect the two continents of North America and Europe together with a telegraph line stretching under the ocean's surface.

    The telegraph revolutionized communication as it allowed for the first time, efficient and effective communication over long distances. With this new technological power, the telegraph would aid the Union states of America to more effectively develop tactics during the Civil War and can be attributed to aiding in the Union victory. With that in mind, it is quite evident to see that Samuel Morse's telegraph not only gave way for many more technological innovations to follow but also paved the way for the world we have today.