Transatlantic Cable

Definition

The Transatlantic Cable was an underwater telegraph line completed in 1866 that connected North America with Europe, allowing for faster communication across continents.

Analogy

Imagine if you had to wait weeks or even months to receive a text message from your friend overseas. That's what it was like before the Transatlantic Cable - messages had to be sent by ship! But once this "underwater highway" for information was built, messages could zip back and forth almost instantly.

Related terms

Telegraphy: A method of sending coded messages over long distances using wires and electrical signals.

Cyrus Field: Cyrus Field was an American businessman and financier who, in the 19th century, led the effort to lay the first transatlantic telegraph cable.

Information Age: An era marked by the rapid shift from traditional industry to an economy based on information technology. The laying of the Transatlantic Cable was a significant step towards this era.