Alexander Graham Bell And The Telephone

ASU HST 200 (Historical Themes) Industrialization and the Rise of Big Business, 1870-1900 Alexander Graham Bell And The Telephone Communications progressed at the same rate as both industry and household life. Rapid advancements in communication technology have brought forth new channels for the dissemination of knowledge. The first transatlantic cable connections were established in 1858 by British and American crews. This eliminated the need to wait several weeks for a letter to go by steamship and allowed communications to travel between the United States and Europe in a matter of hours. Even though these early cables were only operational for about a month, they greatly increased interest in creating a more effective telecommunications sector. Twenty years later, more than 100,000 miles of wire connected every continent by crisscrossing the ocean bottom. In the United States, Western Union ran about 200,000 miles of telegraph lines from coast to coast, controlling 80% of the nation's telegraph lines. In other words, communication was possible in minutes and hours instead of days and weeks, and people were connected like never before. Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone in 1876, making it one of the greatest technological innovations (Figure 18.4). Bell was the first to profit from the idea, even though he wasn't the original inventor. After obtaining the patent, he collaborated with investors and businesses to establish the National Bell Telephone Company. Thomas Edison was commissioned by Western Union, who had previously rejected Bell's device, to create a better telephone. In actuality, Edison's design is the closest to the contemporary telephone. But in the end, Western Union sold Edison's invention to the Bell Company, fearing an expensive legal battle they would probably lose because of Bell's patent. The Bell Company was renamed the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, or AT&T, when they gained significant influence over the communications sector and received permission from the federal government to do so. In the United States, there were fifty thousand telephones in operation by 1880, one of which was in the White House. That figure rose to 1.35 million by 1900, and hundreds of American communities had local service available to their populace. Technology was rapidly and irreversibly drawing the nation closer together, permanently altering the rural seclusion that had been America's defining feature since its founding. Technology advanced quickly after the late 19th century saw the emergence of large business and industrialization, especially in the field of communication. The evolution of domestic life and the rise of industry mirrored changes in communication methods. In the history of communication, the telegraph system's development was a crucial turning point. International communication was changed in 1858 when British and American sailors established the first transatlantic cable connections. Messages could now be sent in a matter of hours between the United States and Europe, eliminating the need for individuals to wait several weeks for a letter to go over the ocean by steamer. Even though these early cables were only in use for a short while, they generated a great deal of interest in developing and growing the telecommunications industry. The world's communication network had grown rapidly by the late 1800s, and by then, more than 100,000 miles of wire had crossed every continent and the ocean floor. With about 200,000 miles of telegraph lines connecting the country's coast to coast, Western Union commanded 80% of the telegraph infrastructure in the United States. As a result, the company controlled the telegraph business in the country. Thanks to this massive network, individuals could now communicate over great distances in minutes or hours instead of the days or even weeks it used to take. Alexander Graham Bell obtained a patent in 1876 for his revolutionary creation, the telephone. Bell was able to benefit from the idea first while not being the original creator because to his patent. Bell worked with companies and investors to form the National Bell Telephone Company in order to market his innovation. Simultaneously, Thomas Edison, under contract to Western Union, attempted to enhance Bell's apparatus. Edison's design bore a striking resemblance to the contemporary telephone; nevertheless, Western Union, wary of a legal dispute about Bell's patent, eventually transferred Edison's creation to the Bell Company. The Bell Company's hegemony in the telecommunications industry was cemented with this action. Following its rebranding as the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T), the Bell Company amassed substantial power in the communications sector and was granted permission by the government to function as a monopoly. In the United States, there were about fifty thousand telephones in use by 1880; the White House itself had one. This number shot up to 1.35 million by 1900, and local telephone service was available in many American localities. The spread of communications technology changed American culture by eliminating the rural seclusion that had defined the country since its founding, in addition to enabling immediate communication. Essentially, the years 1870–1900 saw a tremendous advancement in communication technology, which was summed up by the creation of the telephone and the following rise to prominence of AT&T in the market. This technology revolution sped societal interconnection and changed the way people communicated, opening the door for more breakthroughs in the modern period.