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Profile of the Day: Samuel Morse

On this day in 1838, Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail gave the first successful public demonstration of their telegraph in front a small group of onlookers at the Speedwell Ironworks in Morristown, New Jersey.

Image: Samuel Morse / Library of Congress

The telegraph transmitted electric pulses over wires, enabling people to send messages over vast distances. Morse and Vail also developed a code using pulses and pauses, which we now know as Morse code. After struggling to gain sponsorship, Morse was finally able to convince Congress to fund the construction of a telegraph line in 1843. On May 24, 1844, the first telegraph line was officially opened.

Morse’s invention revolutionized long distance communication as telegraph lines were quickly built across the country.

Explore Samuel Morse’s family tree on Geni and share your connection!

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Source: Geni.com

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