Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1874 while working as a teacher for deaf children in Boston. He received a patent for the telephone in 1876. The first phone call was made on March 10, 1876 between Bell and his assistant Thomas Watson. The telephone rapidly evolved from the initial liquid transmitter to include new technologies like the dial phone, mobile phones, and smartphones. The invention of the telephone transformed society by allowing people to easily communicate over long distances and stay connected to distant friends and family.

1. By: Kristen Steed and Mari Figueroa

2. Who Was the Creator of the Telephone?
•
Alexander Graham Bell was born in 1847, in
Edinburgh, Scotland
•
He was educated at the University of
London
•
While trying to invent a machine to transmit
sound through electricity, he was working at
a school for the deaf teaching deaf children
sign
•
In 1872, he established a school for the deaf
in Boston, MA
•
Stumbled upon the idea for the telephone in
1874
•
Worked tirelessly to help deaf people and
founded the Alexander Graham Bell
Association for the Deaf in 1890
•
Bell died in 1922 and people in North
America were urged to stop making phone
calls on the day of his burial as a day of
silence and remembrance 
(Gordon et al., 1991)

3. The Origins of the Telephone
Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell both designed a device
“that could transmit speech electrically.” This invention came to
be known as the telephone. Both inventors wanted to patent
their speech transmitters but Bell ultimately patented his first
and became the inventor of the telephone that we recognize
today (Bellis).
Bell’s invention came about as an improvement of the telegraph;
with the telegraph “limited to receiving and sending one message
at a time,” he wanted to improve the efficiency of sending
multiple messages back and forth, thus happening upon the idea
of the telephone. With the birth of the telephone came the loss of
the telegraph (Bellis).

4. The History of the
Telephone
The Telephone was patented on March 7 th , 1876
The first telephone call was made on March 10 th ,
1876.
The first words ever heard on a telephone: “Mr.
Watson--come here--I want to see you”
These words were exchanged between Alexander
Graham Bell and Thomas Watson
The first transcontinental call was made between
San Francisco and New York
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYCouRGXBWw
(Kupczak et al., 2012)

5. History continued…
The year before Bell stumbled upon the
telephone, he experimented with a
technique called the “harmonic
telegraph,” which was the discovery of
hearing a sound over a wire, otherwise
known as the “twang” (Bellis).
Bell believed that being able to “talk with
electricity” was far better than the past
capability of sending and receiving
messages with the telegraph (Bellis).
After the discovery of the “twang”, it
wasn’t quite known where this invention
was headed, but the benefits are more
than they ever imagined from this
machine and the new technology to
come.
The Telegraph

6. The Evolution of the Telephone
1876-Liquid Transmitter
1879-Top Box
1880-Gower-Bell Telephone
The Main stages of the
Telephone:
1. The Wall Mounted Telephone
1892-Western Electric Folding Cabinet
1902-Kellog Corner Vanity
2. The Dial Phone
1905-Strowger 11 digit desk telephone
3. Long-Distance Telephone
1915-De Veau Desk Set
4. The Touchtone Phone
1940s-Rotary Phone
5. The Telephone Answering Machine
1960s-Video Phone
6. Picture Phones
1980s-Princess Phones
7. Modems
1983-Motorola DynaTAC 8000X
1990s-Cordless Phone
1999-Nokia Hand-held cell phones
2003-Blackberry
2013-iPhone 5
(Christianson et al., 2013)
8. Cellular Telephones
(Cole, 2002, pg. 233-240)

7. Evolution continued…
The evolution of the telephone was rapid
that this form of communication with
others was now a necessity. “Bell’s 1876
Patent…was arguably the most valuable
patent ever granted…” (Cole, 2002, pg.
233) and this is completely true because
without this first key step by Bell, the
technological advancements may not be
as advanced or efficient as they are today.
From the basic liquid transmitter, where
the first words from a telephone were
heard, to the phones and devices we have
today, have been a huge step for society
and the way we all communicate.
1876
-The Liquid
Transmitter
2013
-The iPhone
-Windows
Phone
-The Galaxy

8. Social History of the Telephone (Past)
The day after the phone call was made and the
newspaper detailed the events of the first phone
call, there was wonder spread throughout the town,
people were asking about what other people in
Boston were saying and asking questions such as, "Is
it thawing or freezing at Maiden?" "Who will be the
next President?” etc ( 1877, pg. 2). This is a prime
example of people wanting to become more aware
of the world around them because of the ability for
them to see what is now possible for them. The
The telephone relied on practicality to motivate
people to use telephones in their own homes.
People at first used the telephone to better handle
affairs and cope with emergencies.
People could talk with friends and family more
efficiently.
The first conversations were very brief and were
usually for “greetings, invitations, or news of safe
arrival.”
invention of the telephone made people more
far away from each other become confident in their
In the 1920’s telephone companies called
subscribing for telephone services as a “comfort
and convenience.”
knowledge of what is going on in the world around
(Fischer, 1992, pg. 75-76)
curious about what is happening in their world, and
the invention of the phone allowed people who were
them.

9. Social History
(Present)
Todays impacts from telephones include many
positive outcomes:
•
“Responsiveness and responsible behavior”
•
“Control and power”
•
“Obsessiveness with connectivity”
•
“Gaining social status or reinforcing identity”
•
“Bonding and caring about maintaining social
connections
•
“Yield efficiency gains for organizations and
workers”
(Katz, 1999, pg.44-45)

10. Why is the telephone the most
important invention?
•
Accessibility we have to everyone
•
The connection and comfort one feels when they can talk to anyone in the world in just a
few seconds
•
A way to keep occupied during long days or for pleasure during quiet moments
•
Helps people feel socially acceptable because most people have a phone nowadays; you fit
in
•
Breaking news or emergency information is able to travel throughout the country faster.
(E.g. if ever there is an emergency on campus people can be called or texted instantly
thanks to the phone.
•
With the telephone you are never truly alone, you are always connected to people you care
about.