Month: April 2016

By Deondre Anderson

CIS- 270WX-02

Instructor: MAJ Sook Ha

Date: 4/24/16

Help Received: Previous Essays Deondre Anderson

 

Reflective Essay

In this paper I will be talking about what I came to understand as the most distinctive features of the Indian and American culture. I will also be talking about how previous activities and assignments shaped my learning into what it is today. To do this I will referencing past essays that I have written and make special references towards them. Last, but not least I will be talking about how I felt like I met the course objectives. At the conclusion of this essay you should have an understanding of what I have come to learn from this course and how it has better shaped my understanding of various cultures.

The most distinctive feature I learned from the Native American culture was their use of non-written communication methods. These methods include body gestures, smoke signals, and storytelling. Smoke signals were very popular among the Native Americans. Smoke communication is formed by creating small puffs of smoke using fire and a blanket. Native Americans would also assign codes to include in this form of communication which were very important among them. These codes include the Apache code, Standard code and the Non-code. I’ve also learned the basic communication meanings for smoke signals such as: one puff meant call of attention; two puffs meant everything was ok; and three puffs meant a signal of danger or something was wrong.

Body gestures are another non-written communication that I learned about. I learned that Native Americans would perform certain body gestures to communicate their emotions to one another. Total silence also was embedded in the Native American culture for a long time. In social situations if someone was angry or upset then they would be silent, this technique was used rather than yelling, screaming, or shouting.

Last, but not least physical forms of technological communications were also part of the Native American communication methods. The first forms of physical communication started on foot, but as time went on Native Americans started using horses after they were introduced by the Spaniards. This type of communication was soon to be known as the pony express, which ultimately became the most popular form of communication for 19 months.

The most distinctive features I learned from the American culture were their use of automobiles and the telegraph. The first automobile was introduced January 29, 1886 in German cities. Credited for the invention of the automobile were Karl Friedrich Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. Daimler developed the motorized carriage; it was the world’s first-four wheeled, high speech gasoline engine automobile. Benz developed a three-wheeled vehicle, which he first drove in the year of 1885. It was the first to combine an internal combustion engine with an integrated chassis. However automobiles dramatically changed overtime due to much technological advancement.

The automobile was used a transportation method to get from one point to another and as a communication method. However new technology such as GPS, Phone, Bluetooth, TV, and voice command features have been implemented into automobiles making its use way more enjoyable when traveling to a different location. Some of these features also improved communication methods because now you can communicate on the go and do not have to be home.

The telegraph is best known to be developed by Samuel Morse was one of the most influential inventions in the 1800’s. The telegraph was created for the sole reason to communicate over long distances with real time without having to physically be in the same location as the receiver of the message. The first telegraph system was built from Washington D.C. to Baltimore, and on May 24, 1844 the first message was successfully sent. That message was “What hath God wrought?”  Samuel Morse is also the developer behind the Morse code, which was created in the year 1835. The Morse code is a set of sounds that correspond to particular letters of the alphabet. Americans adapted this piece of technology to the country by establishing coast to coast communications. Americans laid the first telegraph cable successfully across the Atlantic Ocean in 1866.

Previous activities and assignments such as PowerPoints, Essays, and videos shaped my learning into what it is today. Watching videos have informed me about technology has progressed and changed over time and made me think of where it is soon to go. PowerPoint presentations allowed me to demonstrate my understanding of what I have learned about in class teachings and technological advancements that I have researched out of class. Essays have allowed me to express my views on cultures in a formally written manner. Some topics of these are Non-written communication signal methods, How One Innovation Changed a Nation, and Wired communication.

I feel like I have met the objectives of this course because I now know how to use e-Portfolios. I didn’t know what an e-Portfolio was before taking this course and now feel like I will use it more often. I also feel like I met the objectives of this course because my knowledge of information technology has greatly increased. Before taking this course I knew nothing about the Indian cultures non-written communication techniques. I also knew very little about the telegraph, pony express, and history of mail. Now I feel like my understanding of these things have grown a lot and I would now feel comfortable talking about it in formal situations with confidence. Last, but not least this has greatly improved my oral and written communication skills in a technical setting. I now write and speak confidently and comfortable about selected topics.

My final thoughts are that this course has taught me a lot about information technology and how to write using e-Portfolios. I’m very happy that I chose this class as a selection. I also look forward to knowing more about the history of information technology.

 

Bibliography

1. Essay #1: Non-written communication methods
2. Essay #2: How One innovation Changed a Nation
3. Essay #3: Wired Communication

By Deondre Anderson

CIS- 270WX-02

Instructor: MAJ Sook Ha

Date: 4/17/16

Help Received: Internet Deondre Anderson

 

Wired Communication

In the paper below you will discover how wired communication changed a civilization. This wired communication method is known as a telegraph. Also discussed is how Americans used this new piece of technology among themselves and with other groups. Next is how they adapted the particular to their geography. Last, but not least I will be informing you about how they enhanced this new piece of technology for their unique situation. Ending the paper will conclude with some final thoughts about the selected topic.

 

Samuel Morse is best known for the inventor of the telegraph. He began work on his version of the telegraph in the year 1832. He is also the developer of the Morse code in 1835. The Morse code is a set of sounds that correspond to particular letters of the alphabet. In the year 1838 he presented his concept to U.S. Congress. Although he was not the first to develop the idea of the telegraph he was the first to get political backing and a business model for making it work. That is how America adapted this piece of technology. In 1843 Morse built a telegraph system from Washington D.C. to Baltimore. Also on May 24, 1844 the first message was successfully sent. The message was “What hath God wrought?”  The telegraph progressed very slowly as many attempts to make it work for the entire country failed. Morse spread his telegraph line to New York. As Morse continued to spread his invention across the country other companies began to take notice of the impact of his invention. Western Union built its first transcontinental telegraph line in 1861.

 

Telegraph messages were first transmitted by trained code users, but in the year 1914 a form of automatic transmission was developed. Message transmission speed improved greatly, and at the turn of the 20^th century all long distance communication depended heavily on the telegraph. The top telegraph company was Western Union. They operated on 44,000 miles of wire and were valued at 10 million dollars. Within a year their net worth jumped to 21 million dollars and their business grew by 11,000 percent between 1856 and 1867.

 

Before the telegraph communication took days, weeks, and months for messages to be sent from one location to a far-flung position. Americans adapted this piece of technology to the country by establishing coast to coast communications. After the coast to coast telegraph cable was created messages could be sent from London to New York in minutes. This ultimately brought the country smaller. Also politics and businesses were constrained by geography, basically dividing the country into isolated regions. There was limited knowledge of national news before the telegraph. After the telegraph information could be spread around the country quickly. The United States also used the telegraph to communicate internationally with other countries. Events from all around the world could be known in America. [1]

 

Americans enhanced this this new piece of technology by laying the first telegraph cable successfully across the Atlantic ocean in 1866. There were 40 such telegraph lines across the Atlantic by 1940. This transformed how wars were fought and won, and how journalist and newspapers conducted business. Pieces of news could be exchanged instantly. Another enhancement is that money could now be wired across great distances. The telegraph eventually diminished due to more convenient devices such as the telephone, fax machine, and the internet. Nevertheless the telegraph stands as a turning point in world history. [2]

My final thoughts about the telegraph are that it had many benefits to society. Also is that it greatly changed American and world history. I believe it is the foundation of many if not all the communication methods that we have today. If it weren’t for Morse and the telegraph I don’t think communication would be where it is today.

 

Bibliography

1. “Imagining the Internet.”Imagining the Internet. Elon University School of Communications, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.

 

2. com Staff. “Morse Code & the Telegraph.”History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan. 2009. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.

By Deondre Anderson

CIS- 270WX-02

Instructor: MAJ Sook Ha

Date: 4/6/16

Help Received: Internet Deondre Anderson

 

Wired Communication

In the paper below you will discover how wired communication changed a civilization. This wired communication method is known as a telephone. Also discussed is how they used this new piece of technology among themselves and with other groups. Next is how they adapted the particular to their geography. Last, but not least I will be informing you about how they enhanced this new piece of technology for their unique situation. Ending the paper will conclude with some final thoughts about the selected topic.

The first telephone was patented by a Scottish-born American scientist Alexander Graham Bell March 10, 1876.

By Deondre Anderson

CIS- 270WX-02

Instructor: MAJ Sook Ha

Date: 4/6/16

Help Received: Internet Deondre Anderson

 

 

How One Innovation Changed a Nation

 

In the paper below you will discover how one transportation mode used for communication changed the American civilization. This transportation method is known as an automobile. Also discussed is how they used this new piece of technology among themselves and with other groups. Next is how they adapted the particular to their geography. Last, but not least I will be informing you about how they enhanced this new piece of technology for their unique situation. Ending the paper will conclude with some final thoughts about the selected topic.

The first true automobile was introduced in January 29, 1886 in German cities. We give two people credit for this new invention Karl Friedrich Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. These two men did not know each other at all but patented their inventions on the same day. Benz developed a three-wheeled vehicle, which he first drove in the year of 1885. It was the first to combine an internal combustion engine with an integrated chassis. Daimler developed the motorized carriage. It was the world’s first-four wheeled, high speech gasoline engine automobile. [1]

Automobiles are a popular innovation across the world. There are many different types of models, sizes, and types. When I say type I am referring to SUV’s, Trucks, Cars, and Motorcycles. Every year there are nearly hundreds of new automobiles being produced. And In these new automobiles there is new technology being implemented in them. This technology includes, but is not limited to: GPS, Phone, Bluetooth, TV, and voice command features. Along with these new technological advancements, came another way to communicate.

 

Automobiles have changed the communication world. Americans use automobiles to travel or communicate with each other. And in some circumstances they use automobiles to travel to communicate with one another. Automobiles have allowed us more chances of face to face communication. They have brought family closer and improved relationships between people. Automobiles have also allowed us communicate from anywhere in the world through Bluetooth and cellular technology. Our cars have now become our personal phones.  There are also new video chat features implemented in automobiles.  We now do not even need computers anymore to video chat with someone. Automobiles have really brought a change to how we could communicate with one another, and as time progress I’m sure that there will be even more ways to communicate.

 

Charles and Frank Duryea developed the first automobile in the United States. They developed a gasoline-powered horseless carriage in 1893. The brothers built the first car in a building in downtown Springfield, MA. It was first tested in September of 1893. Its top speed was 7.5 mph. During the following year Frank developed a second automobile. He eventually won America’s first automobile race against the Germans. Henry Ford later came after the Duryea brothers. Even though he was not the one to develop the first automobile in the United States, he receives the most credit. [2] Henry Ford also is given credit for the moving assembly line. This was the first time that an automobile factory was run on continuous line. A motor and a rope pulled the chassis past workers and parts on a factory floor, cutting man ours. [3]

 

In conclusion Americans enhanced this technology by adding more evolved technology to the automobile. This technology includes but is not limited to Bluetooth, high definition cameras, GPS, television, voice command, speakers, and airbags. With this new technology Americans are now able to do all the things they can do at home on the go. We are able now to respond quicker than ever to each other. This improved communication greatly among us as people. Whether that is driving to someone’s house or video chatting in your automobile you have the option to always be connected.

 

My final thoughts are that automobiles have progressed tremendously over time. We are now able to do the same on the go as if we were at home. American as a society has developed a lot technology wise. Also that as new automobiles continue to develop there will be more and more ways that Americans will be able to communicate with each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

1. Staff, History.com. “Who Built the First Automobile?”com. A&E Television Networks, 11 Dec. 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.
2. “America’s First Automobile Race, 1895”, EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2006).
3. “Moving Assembly Line at Ford.”com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.