Explore the history of various communications inventions and consider their development and effects on society.
Worksheet 1'Mr Watson, come here, I want you.'
The race
An exciting inventing race was on across Europe and America in the 1870s. Who could invent the first working telephone? Several inventors thought it was possible to send the human voice along a wire using electricity - but how?
Worksheet 2Morse code
The telegraph
Before the telephone was invented, the quickest way of sending messages over long distances was by telegraph ('graph' meaning to write, and 'tele' meaning from far away).
Worksheet 3What was it like in your day, Grandma?
Looking back
In the early 19th century (1800s), many people were trying to find better ways to communicate with each other. At that time:
letters and other written messages were transported by horse-drawn carriages or riders
new railways were helping to speed up deliveries
there was no radio or TV
Teacher's notesCommunications Projects Primary:
How communications have changed our lives
Visit our interactive morse code and semaphore demonstration and try it for yourself.
