Did Alexander Graham Bell Say Hello?

Lesson Plan - Get It!

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• Why do we say "Hello," when we answer a phone call?

The original telephones were just an open line between parties, and you would start to speak when you wanted to start a conversation. There was no ring to grab attention, so Alexander Graham Bell suggested saying, "Ahoy!" to let the other party know you wanted to talk.

However, Thomas Edison insisted "Hello!" was the way to grab someone's attention. People at the time agreed. The new telephone's first public exchange in New Haven, Connecticut, on January 28, 1878, began with "Hello," followed by "What is wanted?"

No matter how it is answered, the telephone is undoubtedly one of the breakthrough inventions of the century! Get to know the inventor himself.

Who Is Alexander Graham Bell?

Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on March 3, 1847. He was the second son of Alexander Melville Bell and Eliza Grace Symonds Bell.

Alexander was named after his paternal grandfather. The middle name Graham was added when he was ten years old.

He had two brothers, Melville James Bell and Edward Charles Bell, who died from tuberculosis. Growing up, Alexander was always interested in experimenting with sounds and assisting people who could not hear with communication, which makes sense given his parents' background.

Alexander's father was an expert in the mechanics of voice and elocution. Ironically, his mother was deaf but a good pianist! Despite her condition, Bell's mother taught him at home and inspired him to be more curious about the world around him.

Bell was very observant and a great problem solver. He would often study problems until he could invent something in his home workshop to fix it!

His mother eventually decided to send him for formal training at a private school and then later to the Royal High School, a reputable institution.

Watch the following video to learn more.

The Invention That Changed the World

Alexander Graham Bell moved to Canada in 1870. In 1872, he moved to Boston, where he opened a school for teachers of deaf people. He is credited with inventing the first working telephone in 1876 and later founded the Bell Telephone Company in 1877.

Bell's early experiments included ways to improve and use telegraphy, flying machines, and hydrofoils. His talent led to 18 patents for his inventions and work in communications.

The telegraph was a rather new concept in the 1870s. It conveyed messages through electrical sounds that were decoded and translated into words. To send or receive one of these messages, you had to go to the telegraph office, where only one message could be sent at a time.

In 1871, Bell started working on the harmonic telegraph, a device that simultaneously allowed multiple messages to be transmitted over a wire. However, his problem-solver attitude led him to wonder if voices could be transmitted over wires as well.

With the help of his assistant, Mr. Watson, Bell devised a simple receiver that could turn electricity into sound. Other scientists were working on the same technology, but Alexander was the first to rush to the patent office to secure his rights over the invention.

Watch the video below to understand better how these first telephones worked.

Head over to the Got It? section to review all you have just learned about Alexander Graham Bell and his telephone!