The Invention of the Telegraph 

The first concept of the telegraph originated in the early 1700’s. The central idea of the telegraph was sending electric signals across wires. At this time, inventors were developing a system to communicate quickly across long distances. Before the invention of the telegraph, the printing press was used to send mass messages. This new technology was invented in the years leading up to the civil war. In 1861, upon the start of the war, the telegraph had been constructed and was being used to quickly and confidentially communicate with the front lines. During the war, 15,000 miles of wire was set up across the country and more than 6.5 million messages were sent. This is only one of the great accomplishment achieved post invention. The Telegraph: The Civil War Text Machine

In 1832 aboard a ship returning to Europe, it occurred to Samuel F. B. Morse that electricity could be used to communicate over distances. As a professor at New York University, Morse used his resources to develop his ideas and achieved great success. He speculated that coded messages could be sent over a wire and with the help of Professor Leonard D. Gale and Alfred Vail, key advancements were made. In 1835 he developed Morse Code (a set of sounds that corresponded to particular letters of the alphabet) and by 1838 he presented his idea of the telegraph to the U.S. Congress. Although 62 other people had claimed to invent a telegraph system by 1838, Samuel Morse was the first inventor to receive political support for his concept and an official business model for its development. There were many inventors and scientists that contributed to the development of the telegraph and no single person can be credited with the invention alone. Learning Morse Code

In 1843, backed by congress, Morse was granted $30,000 to construct a telegraph system stretching from Washington D.C. to Baltimore, Maryland. Considering the rise in inflation, that would be over $1,000,000 today. The telegraph wiring system was originally laid underground, but after realizing that faulty wires were ordered, the team needed a new plan to complete the project before the rigid deadline. Ezra Cornell, an ingenious construction engineer suggested stringing the wires overhead on trees and poles. This is how telephone poles came to be. 

May 24, 1844 marks a significant moment in history as the first message “What hath God wrought?” was sent as the first official Morse Code message. The Morse code system was then developed in other cities along the East Coast, including New York, before expanding into other parts of the country. By the 20th century, all long distance communication depended heavily on the telegraph. 

Samuel F. B. Morse - Inventor of Morse Code

The Western Union was founded in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company before changing its name to the Western Union Telegraph Company in 1856. The company would go on to dominate the American telegraph industry for the next 100 years. Western Union is well known in the finance industry as they were the first to develop a money transfer service, making wire transfers via telegram. Yearly message transfers increased under the company from 5.8 million in 1867 to 63.2 million in 1900. 

Aside from the obvious technological benefits of this invention, (immediate communication over long distances) this invention drastically changed the markets, decreased the cost of communication, renovated the system of diplomacy facilitated growth in the railroads. Prior to the telegraph the world was very divided, especially in politics and business. Post invention, the world completely changed as information could now be sent from one country to the next in minutes.

Top 5 Sources of News and Information

Today, information is spread rapidly through television, the internet and social media. With so many sources to choose from, it is important that we consume media from diverse and reliable sources. Many modern news sources tend to fall along the spectrum from Left to Right with some being more biased than others. My 5 top sources of news and information include: Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, NPR, Associated Press and Social Media.

Foreign Affairs 

As an International Relations major, I regularly tune into sources of international topics.  Foreign Affairs is an American magazine published by the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs. Personally I like the style and organization of the website. It is easy to navigate, attracts your attention and displays intriguing titles to keep readers interested. This news site keeps you updated on current foreign news while also offering think pieces. 

The Washington Post

As someone from the Washington area, I have referenced this paper many times. While their editorial pages do contain some level of bias, their news is relatively neutral and unbiased. Like professor Smith mentioned, the Washington Post acts as a voice of the current government. 

NPR 

NPR is reliable and entertaining. I personally enjoy having something to listen to and NPR has very talented and informed journalists. I have used this platform for entertainment and academics. NPR provides articles and podcast episodes from a vast range of topics including politics, culture and music. 

Associated Press 

The standard for neutrality, a fact checked and relatively unbiased news source. This free news source is easy to navigate with fact-based journalism and straight-forward, easy to understand language. As seen in the graphic above, the Associated Press is a high quality source for neutral news and provides articles from a vast range of topics.

Social Media (X, Instagram, TikTok) 

How reliable is the news on social media?

Instagram, TikTok and Twitter(X) are among the top 5 most used social media platforms. 

Instagram: 1.4 Billion users

TikTok: 1 Billion users

Twitter: 397 Million

These are very important sources considering it is easily accessible, provides real-time updates and is used by so many people. Social media is great for staying updated on current events and culturally nuanced content but may also expose consumers to misinformation. It is imperative that while we take advantage of the plethora of information provided by social media, we are cautious and selective with the information we spread and absorb. Beware of fake news!

 Values of Free Expression 

America is a nation founded on freedom and our freedom of speech is one of the most important. Out of the eight speech theories, the eighth theory of protecting dissent resonates with me the most. Our protected right to free speech allows us the freedom of expression, and the ability to stand up for ourselves. As a student of politics with a passion for advocacy I resonate most with our right to disagree and make change. I believe that a free and fair society is one that encourages people to share conflicting ideas and develop meaningful resolutions. 

Theory #4 discusses one's right to create their own identity. Autonomy and human dignity are not only a necessary human right, but they also encourage peace and respect. With the freedom of self-expression, we are not only free and fair but we also contribute to a more prosperous, unique and understanding society. This allows us freedoms that many other people cannot enjoy. Freedom of association or freedom of religion for example.

Theories #2 and #5 express the importance of transparency within our political system. Policy changes affect each American in their daily lives, and must have the ability to become self-informed on our legislation and leadership. Easy access to this information encourages a more involved and more knowledgeable electorate. This freedom is extremely important as it protects us from manipulation and ensures that we maintain a free and fair democratic society.

Out of the eight speech theories, the 8th theory of protecting dissent resonates with me the most. One of the most recent examples of this is the response to the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson. On June 24, 2022 the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federal right to abortion and causing major backlash and controversy. Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice is just one of many divisive debates.

There are many examples where Americans have used their protected right to speak out against the government. Some of which include: Immigration reform, Black Lives Matter/Police Brutality Protests, Second Amendment protests and even protests against COVID masks. 

Concerning immigration, American opinions are almost evenly divided, with those in support of a stronger immigration policy being in the majority. While undocumented residence in the United States is illegal, there are still organizations founded for the purpose of changing these laws. This is protected by the first amendment just like many other legal debates. The First Amendment gives citizens the right to disagree with the government, speak out and take action. 

Many would consider guns to be a defining trait of the United States as the world's strongest military and the world leader in civilian gun ownership. Among 65 high-income countries and territories, the United States stands out for its high levels of gun violence. The US ranks seventh out of 65 for homicides by firearm. As a constitutionally protected right, U.S. citizens can purchase, own and carry a firearm, depending on the laws of the states. This is yet another controversial topic that divides the American people and has been the source of intense discourse for the past decade. U.S. Outlier in Gun Violence | Health Data.

Our ability to speak out about our grievances and encourage change has resulted in extraordinary advances in our freedom of choice and equality. This is a privilege that we should not take for granted considering the high levels of censorship and inequality in other parts of the world.