Library of Congress
Loc: A Historic Message
This site, which is provided for by the Library of Congress, gives information on the first telegraph invented and the first message ever transmitted.
Great Idea Finder
The Great Idea Finder: Inventor Granville Woods Biography
A detailed biography of Granville T. Woods, who was known as "the Black Edison" because of his many inventions. He is best known for greatly improving the safety of railroads by his invention of the Multiplex Railway Telegraph.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Mirror Galvanometer
Invented by William Thomson (who later became Lord Kelvin for such clever acts as this), the mirror galvanometer was a useful instrument that played a key role in the history of the telegraph. (Java tutorial)
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution Forgotten History: Alfred Vail and Samuel Morse
This article explains Alfred Vail's partnership with Samuel Morse and his contributions to the development of the telegraph.
PBS
Pbs: Who Made America?: Innovators: Samuel Morse
Contrary to myth, Samuel Morse did not invent the telegraph, but he made key improvements to its design, and his work to deploy it would transform communications worldwide.
Other
Bhra: Granville Woods
Read this homage to Granville Woods, whose inventions and improvements to the railway system not only made railroad travel safer, but also made the New York City railway system a possibility.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Timeline of Electricity and Magnetism: 1850 1869
The Industrial Revolution is in full force, Gramme invents his dynamo and James Clerk Maxwell formulates his series of equations on electrodynamics.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: Granville T. Woods
A fascinating biography of Granville T. Woods. It tells of his impact on railroad transportation, and how some of his inventions are still used today. Links with additional information are also available.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: William Thomson, Lord Kelvin
William Thomson, known as Lord Kelvin, was one of the most eminent scientists of the nineteenth century and is best known today for inventing the international system of absolute temperature that bears his name. He made contributions to...
Ohio History Central
Ohio History Central: Granville T. Woods
A biography of Granville T. Woods, who used his knowledge of machinery to establish his own company and invent many different improvements for the railroad.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Inventor of the Week: Samuel f.b. Morse
Provides a short biography of Samuel F.B. Morse, and his invention of the one-wire telegraph and the Morse Code. Also contains pictures.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Guillermo Marconi
This site chronicles the father of wireless communication. Examines his life and how his accomplishments affected both society and warfare.
South Carolina Educational Television
Kids Work!: History of Telecommunications
An in-depth look at inventions and developments that had an impact on telecommunication.
Education.com
Education.com: Morse Code Messaging
[Free Registration/Login Required] One of the most important code systems invented is the internationally-recognized Morse code, which matches dots and dashes to letters of the alphabet. This revolutionized communication by sending...
Other
Granville T. Woods
Read a brief biography of Graville T. Woods, known as "The Black Edison" because of the multitude and scope of his inventions. Perhaps his most important was a way for trains to communicate with each other.
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies
Mocomi: Thomas Edison Biography
Interesting biographical information, famous inventions, and quotes of Thomas Edison, one of America's greatest inventors.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Who Am I?
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is a review of famous inventors and people of the Second Industrial Revolution. Activotes questions are included. There is a citation for a United Streaming video clip at the end that could be...
PBS
American Experience: Technology Timeline: 1752 1990
Short descriptions of important technological innovations produced in America and the date of their introduction.
Curated OER
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Clip Art Etc: Thomas Alva Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was born at Milan, Ohio, February 11, 1847, but the family soon after moved to Port Huron, Michigan. He had to earn his living from early boyhood, and was a train boy on a railroad. A station master, whose child's life...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Education: Spotlight Biography Inventors
This site provides information on American inventors Benjamin Franklin, Robert Fulton, Eli Whitney, Thomas Jefferson, Isaac Singer, Wilbur Wright, Thomas Alva Edison, Elias Howe, and Alexander Graham Bell. It offers pictures from and...
PBS
Pbs: American Experience: Rescue at Sea
Companion website to the PBS documentary on the collision of two ships in 1909 and the reliance on the newly invented telegraph for rescue.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Timeline of Electricity and Magnetism: 1830 1839
The first telegraphs are constructed and Michael Faraday produces much of his brilliant and enduring research into electricity and magnetism, inventing the first primitive transformer and generator.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Catherine Schmidt Jones: Message Drums
How did various cultures communicate before the invention of the telephone, email or telegraph? Discover the use of message drums in this lesson plan.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Carl Friedrich Gauss
Although he is best known as one of the greatest mathematicians of all time, Carl Friedrich Gauss was also a pioneer in the study of magnetism and electricity. To facilitate an extensive survey of terrestrial magnetism, he invented an...