Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1845–1940 Timeline (Part 2)

1854

In 1854 began the construction of the first transatlantic telegraph cable line. The construction took four years, and it was stored on the “Agamemnon” from Britain and “Niagara” from the US. These boats were financed by the two governments. 

Even though this was a big event that made an important mark in history, the project quickly fell apart due to technical issues. It only lasted for three weeks, but it showed that it was possible to achieve something like that. 

In 1866 the project was finalized, and the cables were completely functional. It remained operational for almost a century. 

Source: Netvalley

People Cyrus West Field – born in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in 1819 Field was an innovative entrepreneur, financier, and businessman. He started the Atlantic Telegraph Company and was keen on adopting new technologies for commercial use. Field died in 1892.  Source: Wikipedia Technologies Telegraph cable – The transatlantic telegraph cable was the first cable route to connect America and Europe. It reduced the message delivery time from 10 days to around 5 minutes. This project marked the start of intercontinental long-distance cables for transferring information. Source: Wikipedia

1876

In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell officially presented a couple of prototype telephones at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. This was the first World’s Fair in the US, and in an instant, Bell became a world-famous inventor. 

Source: National Museum of American History 

People Alexander Graham Bell – born in 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland. His name is famous for patenting and inventing the very first telephone device. Bell was an engineer, scientist, and inventor. He was also the co-founder of the AT&T company. Bell died in 1922.  Source: Wikipedia  Technologies & companies The Telephone – Alexander Graham Bell made the first patent for a telephone device in 1876. It was the first-ever phone that could clearly produce human voices and allow two people to have a conversation over a phone line.  Source: Wikipedia

1885

The year when the American Telephone and Telegraph Company was founded. AT&T was first called the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, but when Bell joined forces with Thomas Sanders and Gardiner Hubbard, they rebranded the company. 

AT&T is still an active conglomerate and one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. 

Source: ICANNWiki 

People Alexander Graham Bell – born in 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is famous for patenting and inventing the very first telephone device. Bell was an engineer, scientist, and inventor. He was also the co-founder of the AT&T company. Bell died in 1922. Source: Wikipedia  Gardiner Greene Hubbard – born in 1822 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was a financier, lawyer, and businessman. He was the first president of AT&T. He was also the president of the National Geographic Society, and the founder of the “Science” journal. Source: Wikipedia Thomas Sanders – Sanders was a successful businessman who lived in the 19th century. His name is best known for being one of the founders of AT&T.  Technologies & companies AT&T Corporation – The AT&T started as the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. It changed into the Telephone and Telegraph Company in 1885 and later became the AT&T Corporation. This company still remains one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world, along with several parent companies.

1892

In 1892 Nikola Tesla created the first radio design. By 1898 patented a boat that was radio-controlled. He demonstrated what his patent could do at the Madison Square Garden in 1898 at the Electrical Exhibition. 

Source: Tesla Society 

Nikola Tesla was ahead of his time, and he predicted wireless technology. For many, his quote was a mystery until we finally started using wireless technology: 

“When wireless is perfectly applied, the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain, which in fact, it is, all things being particles of a real and rhythmic whole. We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance.”

Source: Business Insider 

People Nikola Tesla – Nikola Tesla was born in 1856 in a small Serbian village within the former Austrian Empire. This Serbian mechanical and electrical engineer, physicist, and inventor came to America, where he could focus on science. He is the inventor of the alternating current as we know it today, and he also contributed with various patents.  Technologies Wireless radio-controlled robot-boat – Tesla’s radio boat was way ahead of its time. After demonstrating what it could do in 1898, very few people had an interest in it. It was only after WWI that scientists started to understand the value of this technology.  Source: Wikipedia

1936

In 19365 Alan Turing was the first one to describe and set up “Turing Machines”, a mathematical model used for computation that describes an abstract machine. It’s an important event that led to the research on computations and how far they can actually go. 

Source: Wikipedia 

People Alan Turing – born in London in 1912, this English mathematician, philosopher, logician, and computer scientist was one of the most influential scientists of his era. His biggest contributions were to computer science in terms of computation research and laying the foundation for algorithms. Turing died in 1954.  Source: Wikipedia  Technologies Turing machine – the Turing machine was the first machine that could simulate algorithms. Even though it was very simple, it was the foundation of modern computation. It uses symbols on an infinite tape using a table of rules.  Source: Wikipedia

1938

The first plan for a logical computer was laid out in 1936 by Konrad Zuse. It was named the Versuchs Model or V1. The manufacturing of the V1 started that same year, while the first prototype came out in 1938. 

Source: History-computer.com

People Konrad Zuse – born in 1910 in Berlin. He was an engineer, computer scientist, and inventor. Zuse is known for creating the first-ever programmable computer in the world called the Z3. That’s why he is considered the father of the modern computer. Zuse died in 1995.  Source: Wikipedia  Technologies Relay computer – these computer systems are designed on relay logic and electromechanical relays. This technology replaced mechanical computers and were the predecessors of vacuum tube computers.  Soure: WikiChip

1939

1939 is the year when the Hewlett-Packard Company was founded. The founders of the company, Bill Hewlett and David Packard, first developed audio oscillators and sold them to Walt Disney. The company switched to computer production in 1966. 

Source: Computer History Museum 

People Bill Hewlett – born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1913. This American engineer graduated from Stanford University. He is most known for being one of the co-founders of the HP company. Hewlett died in 2001.  Source: Wikipedia  David Packard – born in Pueblo, Colorado in 1912. Packard was an electrical engineer and one of the two co-founders of HP company. He was also the Deputy Secretary of Defense in the Nixon administration. Packard died in 1996.  Source: Wikipedia  Technologies & companies  HP – Hewlett-Packard Company was founded in 1939. The company developed and manufactured a wide range of software and hardware, as well as computer services for various types of businesses. It’s one of the largest information technology companies with a global presence.  Source: Wikipedia

1940

George Stibitz first ran his Complex Number Calculator on January 8, 1940. It was the first “remote job entry.” This technique was a major breakthrough in spreading information through computer networks and telephones. 

Source: History-Computer 

People George Stibitz – born in York, Pennsylvania in 1904. He’s considered to be one of the most important contributors to the invention of the digital computer. Stibitz’s Boolean logic is considered his greatest achievement. Stibitz died in 1995.  Source: Wikipedia  Technologies K-model computer – the K-model computer was created by George Stibitz while working for Bell Labs. This was the first relay-based calculator that used binary addition for calculations.  Source: Wikipedia

To Be Continued

Recommended reading:

• Who Invented The Internet? Internet History: 1828–1844 Timeline (Part 1)