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Samuel Morse

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Samuel F.B. Morse

Samuel Finley Breeze Morse was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He was born on April 27, 1791 to Jedidiah Morse, a pastor. Samuel Morse was a professional artist, not a scientist. He went to Phillip’s Academy in Andover. Morse studied under a famous artist, Washington Allston. He graduated from Yale in 1810. After his graduation, Samuel left on a trip to Europe with Allston. He studied at many different art museums. He also invented some everyday tools. The first tool he invented was a marble cutting machine. This machine was able to cut in three dimensions. He tried to patent his machine, but it was already covered by a patent to Thomas Blanchard. In 1832, he moved back to America because he was appointed Professor of Painting and Sculpture at the University of the City of New York.

The Telegraph

"Morse developed 'lightning wires' and 'Morse code,' an electronic alphabet that could carry messages. The patent was applied for in 1840. A line was constructed between Baltimore and Washington and the first message, sent on May 24,1844, was 'What hath God wrought!' " (invent.org)

"The telegraph was an electrical circuit consisting of a battery, a key, and an electromagnet, all connected by wire. The battery created the electricity that traveled along the wire. The key, located at one end of the wire, completed the electrical circuit when depressed. The electromagnet, located at the other end of the wire, had a pencil attached to it, which moved and made a mark on a paper tape whenever an electric current passed through it. The marks were short or long, depending on the amount of time the key was held down, which led Morse to develop a code of dots and dashes that corresponded to each letter of the alphabet" (npg.si.edu).

The Telegraph