Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
Jan
06
On January 6, 1838, Samuel Morse’s telegraph system is demonstrated for the first time at the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown, New Jersey. The telegraph, a device which used electric impulses to transmit encoded messages over a wire, would eventually revolutionize long-distance communication, reaching the height of its popularity in the 1920s and 1930s.
Painted portrait of American artist and inventor Samuel Morse (1791 - 1872), who invented the Morse code system used in sending messages by telegraph, circa 1850. He poses beside a telegraph device. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Jan
12
Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day! Learn something new with key events in history, from the American Revolution to pop culture, crime and more.
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