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The Civil War: How The Telegraph Has Changed The World

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In 1974, Claude Chappe invented the first non-electrical telegraph, and though, not given much credit, Samuel Soemmering, using 35 wires with gold electrode through water, sending messages about two thousand feet away, re-invented it, known as the electrical telegraph. Soon, Samuel Morse took credit for sending the ‘first message’ using the telegraph, reading,"What hath God wrought?". This invention changed the world by broadening communication, and expanding productivity. It helped through wars and business, including the Civil War, WWI, and WWII, demonstrating its importance to America, and businessmen comparing and contrasting ideas. Focusing on the Civil War, the telegraph helped Lincoln win the war, as well as put his leadership forward. In fact, Lincoln would hardly leave the office, and be deeply anxious about recording new telegrams. Henceforth, the telegram became a worldwide phenomenon, known to change the world in considerable ways. As the telegraph came into the new era, an abundance of people began to use it more than …show more content…

It was used for commercial use among citizens and common folk. People knew who was fighting, and wanted to see who was winning or who died. Most journalists began to write for the papers, communicating with soldiers and colonels to figure out what was happening. “The telegraph, which was used heavily by the press during the Civil War, had a long-lasting effect on journalism,” (The Press' Experience During the Civil War 10), because of the way journalists were being paid - per word - they would extend into as much detail as possible. Most journalists had to prioritize and become distinctly factual during this time. Being that the news was one of the only objects of entertainment, people began to read more frequently. More words on a page paid journalists a profusion of money; furthermore, this led to the telegraph being used successively and

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