The invention that was crucial for connecting Europe and America in the 19th century was the telegraph. Developed by Samuel Morse and others, the telegraph allowed for instantaneous communication over long distances, which transformed trade, journalism, and personal communication. Established in the 1830s, the telegraph facilitated the coordination of railroads and shipping, as well as governmental and military communications. Its ability to transmit messages quickly laid the groundwork for the expansion of economies and cultures on both sides of the Atlantic, forging a new era of interconnectedness.