The telegraph was invented in the 19th century, with key developments mainly taking place in the 1830s. Samuel Morse, a key figure in the invention, began working on his version of the electric telegraph in 1832 and developed Morse Code by 1835. The first demonstration of his telegraph system was in 1837, and the first message was transmitted on May 24, 1844, between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore with the famous phrase "What hath God wrought?" Other inventors also contributed around the same time, including British inventors William Fothergill Cooke and Charles Wheatstone, who patented a telegraph system in 1837. The idea of the telegraph as sending electric signals across wires had earlier origins, but the practical systems that became widely used began in the 1830s and 1840s. In summary:
- Early concepts date back to the early 1700s.
- Samuel Morse began work in 1832.
- Morse's telegraph system patented and demonstrated in 1837.
- First official long-distance telegraph message sent in 1844.
Thus, the telegraph was effectively invented and demonstrated as a working system by 1837, with its first significant public use starting in 1844.
