1. 1844 – Samuel Morse Sends the First Telegraph Message: "What hath God wrought?"

On May 24, 1844, American inventor and artist Samuel Finley Breese Morse made history by transmitting the first long-distance telegraph message from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to the B&O Railroad Depot in Baltimore, Maryland, approximately 40 miles away. The message he sent—“What hath God wrought?”—was suggested by Annie Ellsworth, the daughter of a friend and a supporter of the telegraph project, and is a quotation from the Bible (Numbers 23:23). The message was received and deciphered by Alfred Vail, Morse’s assistant and collaborator, marking the official public demonstration of the telegraph system ^[1][2].

This event is widely regarded as the birth of modern telecommunications, introducing a method for transmitting information almost instantaneously over vast distances—a monumental shift from earlier, slower methods such as courier delivery, semaphore, or homing pigeons ^[3].

Source: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-F-B-Morse

2. Background and Development of the Telegraph

Samuel Morse, originally a painter, began exploring electrical communication in the 1830s. Inspired by conversations aboard a transatlantic ship and encouraged by contemporaries like physicist Joseph Henry, Morse began developing a prototype of a device that could transmit coded messages over a wire using electrical pulses. By 1837, Morse, along with Leonard Gale and Alfred Vail, had developed a working telegraph system and a symbolic communication method now known as Morse code, a binary-like system using dots and dashes to represent letters and numbers ^[2][4].

Securing funding for the project proved difficult. However, in 1843, Morse successfully lobbied the U.S. Congress for an appropriation of $30,000 (equivalent to nearly $1 million today) to construct an experimental telegraph line between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. The system used copper wires supported by wooden poles, and in some places, buried cables encased in lead pipes—though the latter proved problematic and was largely abandoned in favor of above-ground wires ^[1].

3. The Message and Its Significance

The biblical message "What hath God wrought?" was not only chosen for its solemn tone and philosophical weight, but also symbolized the awe-inspiring potential of the new technology. By successfully transmitting it on May 24, Morse demonstrated that electromagnetic communication over long distances was not only feasible but reliable. The phrase was immediately inscribed in the history of technology and became emblematic of the Second Industrial Revolution ^[5].

This breakthrough fundamentally transformed how people and businesses communicated. Within a few decades, telegraph lines had spread across North America, Europe, and eventually the world. In 1866, the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable was completed, linking continents and making near-instantaneous communication across oceans possible ^[3].

4. Impact and Legacy

The invention of the telegraph:

• Revolutionized journalism, enabling reporters to transmit stories from distant locations in hours rather than days.

• Accelerated business and finance, allowing real-time transmission of market data and prices.

• Enhanced military strategy, enabling commanders to issue orders and receive reports from remote fronts.

• Paved the way for later innovations such as the telephone, radio, and eventually the internet ^[1][5].

The telegraph also played a key role in major historical events, including the coordination of railway traffic, the American Civil War, and global diplomacy. Morse’s invention was eventually adopted by governments, news agencies (such as the Associated Press, founded in 1846), and commercial enterprises on a global scale ^[2].

Samuel Morse was later honored both in the U.S. and abroad. Though he faced patent disputes during his life, he is now universally credited as the father of electrical telecommunication. His name lives on not only through Morse code but also through his recognition in scientific societies and numerous memorials worldwide ^[4].

5. Conclusion

The successful transmission of the first telegraph message on May 24, 1844, was a defining moment in world history. It symbolized the beginning of the information age, where ideas, orders, and news could be relayed across vast distances in seconds. Samuel Morse’s achievement stands as a landmark in the human quest to connect across space, laying the groundwork for the digital communication systems we rely on today^[1][3].