The innovation in communication that dramatically changed the dissemination of information in the 19th century was the telegraph. Invented by Samuel Morse and others, the telegraph enabled long-distance communication via electrical signals through wires. By transmitting messages in Morse code, it vastly improved the speed of information transfer compared to earlier methods, such as letters and messenger services. The telegraph transformed commerce, journalism, and personal communication, facilitating instant reporting of news and enabling businesses to operate across vast distances. Its impact laid the groundwork for subsequent communication technologies, including the telephone and the Internet, fundamentally altering how people connect and share information.