Earliest Forms of Media Essay

Media began when God created the heavens and the earth, and started with word of mouth, the first form of communication. The first humans to speak were Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Speech continued to be the only form of communication for some time, until in 3,000 BC, when the Egyptians began using what is now known as hieroglyphics. Using this system, they were able to write messages and stories using symbols and pictures. Many other civilizations around this time began to use similar systems when establishing a writting system. The use of hieroglyphics then is what led to the development of the first alphabet by the Greeks in 1000 BC. With the development of the alphabet, people could now write using letters, and because of this could actually write quicker than ever. Today, we still use an alphabet, but it has been redeveloped since the original Greek one. But, without the Greeks, we would still be using pictures to write with.

Once a system of writing had been established, there was now a need for ways of getting messages to and forth in a quicker, more efficient way than by walking or horseback, and so around the time of the Greek empire, carrier pigeons were used, making this very first mail delivery service in history. The pigeon would a have a message tied to their leg, and would then fly it to its destination, often times having to make a return trip. They were used to deliver the results of the Olympics during the time of the Greeks, and were used up through World War II as a way to deliver battle plans and enemy locations. However, the use of carrier pigeons to deliver mail led to the creation of the postal service today.

We are going to fast forward a little. By 100 AD, the Chinese had invented paper as we know it today, and now allowed the free world to write messages clearly and quickly on paper, rather than rocks or clay tablets. With the invention of paper came ideas as to how to speed up the delivery of news in towns, since they were usually having to use word of mouth to spread important news and information. But this was proven to be unreliable, and many times rumors would be inadvertanly started as a result. Many ideas were tried, but not many worked. However, settlements began to publish things called newspapers, which allowed news to written in one place, and were posted in the center of town on a large board ot somesort. This was a breakthrough indeed, but again, not very efficient, until 1440 AD.

It was in this year the Johannes Gutenburg began working on a revolutionary invention, and by 1447 had perfected it: the printing press. Invented originally as a way to print Bibles translated into German, the printing press became an instant hit not just in Germany, but around the world. By 1500, there more than 200 units all over Europe, with 77 alone in Italy, making Italy the printing center of the world. Today, the printing press has been perfected by having become motorized, printing faster than ever. As a result of this, books were made available to poorer people, and newspapers were now printed for individual purchase and use. News was able to be spread faster than ever, but not fast enough for some evidently, because by the 1800's, people were still looking for faster ways of communication...however, THAT my friends is another essay.