Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1872) was an American inventor and painter. With the help from his business partners Leonard Gale and Alfred Vail, Morse patented a working telegraph machine in 1837. Morse used a dots-and-spaces code for the letters of the alphabet and the numbers. By 1838, Morse could send 10 words per minute. Congress provided funds for building a telegraph line between Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland, in 1843. Morse sent the first telegraphic message (from Washington D.C. to Baltimore) on May 24, 1844; the message was: "What hath God wrought?" The telegraph revolutionized long-distance communications.
Visit the Boys' Life site (
http://boyslife.org/games/online-games/575/morse-code-machine/) and try TEST 1 or TEST 2. Play for a few minutes and then return to the blog and respond to the following reflection questions:
1. Which test did you try and why?
2. What did you find challenging about the test? Explain.
3. Based on your knowledge of the United States during and after the Civil War, how was Morse Code useful to the American people? Explain. How was it ineffective for the American people? Explain.
* Check out the Morse Code Translator in the 8th grade Lesson Links!*
1. I chose test one because on test two there were SO many options that you could choose for a combination of long or short and I thought it would be easier to choose from letters and numbers that I was familiar with.
ReplyDelete2. This test was really hard because I don't know Morse Code...AT ALL. It is challenging because there are so many combinations that it's hard to keep straight which is which.
3. Morse Code was useful to American people during the Civil War because it was a good way to communicate to your allies when talking face to face or sending letters wasn't very safe. Morse Code was ineffective for the American people because I'm guessing that not a lot of people knew Morse Code extremely well, so many people either didn't know the "language" at all or some people didn't know it 100% so they misread messages.
1. Test 2 because it looked easier than the other one.
ReplyDelete2. If you didn't know what the letters and numbers were, you would never be able to figure it out.
3. It was useful because it was quicker than sending a letter to someone. It was ineffective because someone could intercept your information and the info. could be top secret. It could also be unreliable because most people didn't know morse code.
1. I chose test one because it has better use because instead of guessing the pattern you get to pick any number or letter.
ReplyDelete2.You never really know what the pattern is except if you know it on the top of your head.
3.The Morse code was helpful because sometimes they had to figure out what the not or letter said and instead of saying something you could just use Morse code.
Question 1) I took the first one cause I thought it looked way easier.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2) I though it was hard to remember the codes because there is so many!!!!! And all you see are dots and dashes and you get all confused!!
Question 3) Helpful- So people could talk to each other and it would take less time to do so. Unhelpful- Well if Morse Code was the only way to communicate, and people didn't bother to learn it then nobody would know what anybody was talking about! Then there would be cause
1.test 2, because you can try to figure out what the letter is.
ReplyDelete2. yes, because it was hard to know what the letter was.
3. to let the united states know what was going on in the war and that's one way the tell them in Morse code and they can send troups or supplies to the army that needs reinforcements or the supplies that they need.
1. I tried the 1st test because I thought it might be kind of easier then test 2.
ReplyDelete2. I found it challenging because I didn't know most of the letter symbols it was you pretty much guessing. It was cool to figure out which letters they are though.
3.The Morse Code might have been helpful to the American people so it could be translated, most people wouldn't know what some of the letters or phrases might have meant. People didn't know how to write the letters so they used little symbols instead.
1. I picked the 1st test because I thought it would be easier to do.
ReplyDelete2. I thought was challenging was that I didn't really know anything about the Morse cod, so I couldn't really use prier knowledge to figure the answer out.
3. This is in a bad way but like for to plan the assassination they could use the Morse code because not many people knew what the dots or lines stood for so they could send letters to the other people to talk about how they were going to do it. The Morse code was ineffective because it is hard to learn so many people wouldn't want to learn it because it was so time consuming.
1. I tried both tests because I wanted some variation but I liked the main page best because it had all the answers.
ReplyDelete2. I found just trying to figure out the codes and trying to keep track of every letter. And the obsessive beeping made it harder too.
3. The Morse code might've been useful to the Americans because maybe people who weren't Americans would not understand it? It was ineffective for the American people because if your kids knew what the Morse code was they could easily read your messages that were supposed to be top secret.
1. At first I did test one where you listen. Then that got very diffcult, so I tried the typing that was very hard.
ReplyDelete2. The patterns are very similar to other patterns.
It's gets very challenging when it's just dot and line.
3. News was fast and generals could send battle plans to each other. The messages get decoded by south.
1. I tried both tests because they both seemed fun and it's just for experimentation.
ReplyDelete2. What I found challenging was everything about morse code. It's hard to remember all of the dots and lines but it is pretty neat on how it works.
3. Morse code was useful for the American people because it takes a lot less time to let news get across the country. It can also be ineffective because if the enemy learns this new type of communication, they can intercept the messages that might be top secret.
1.I tried test 2. I tried test 2 because that it might be easy for me but i was wrong.
ReplyDelete2.Well I found most of the test challenging because I have never used mores code before and if have I do not remember it.
3.mores code was use full because it helped people get news much faster. But mores code can be hard to understand so sometimes people might pass on the wrong answer.
I did test 2 because i thought it was fun trying to create your "own" letters and numbers.
ReplyDeleteI found the test challenging because I know nothing about Morse code. Its kinda of hard to do something that you have no knowledge about.
I think the Morse code was useful because you could send messages to people and not travel all the way. The Morse code would probably be useless for a regular American because they probably did not know how to use it and plus you could only get 10 words through in a minute. If you think about it, if you wanted to just chit chat with someone, or even send a message of any length, would take a long time.
1. I took test 2. I liked having to guess the number of lines or dots you had to use to make the letter. other then picking a letter.
ReplyDelete2. it was challenging to me because i had no idea what order they went in. they all look sort of similar to each other.
3. one way it is useful is that if someone tried to listen to you conversation they would have no idea what it is.
It could be helpful to them because they now what there people are talking bout. they all have the same language.
1. I tried test 2 because I thought it would be funner than the first test.
ReplyDelete2. I found the whole test hard because I don't know Morse code.
3.It was helpful because during the construction of the rail road they used it to talk to each other. Not useful because not every one knows Morse code.
1. I did the first test because I thought it would be easier. I was wrong.
ReplyDelete2. I don't know any of the Morse letters or numbers going into this so it was all new to me.
3. It's useful because it travels way faster than letters, which was the only other outside communication. It would be ineffective because the letters in a word might get jumbled together.
1. I did the second test because it looked much easier especially with my cheat sheet! ;)
ReplyDelete2. Well in real life, I'd never be able to memorize any of those codes or make them out. Especially when you don't know where the spaces are.
3. The Morse code was helpful for American citizens because they could talk without giving away any secrets. It was not helpful for American citizens today because no one knows the code!
1. I chose the first test because I thought it would be easier than the second one.
ReplyDelete2.Well, I don't know a single letter in Morse code, so I had a lot of trouble with it, based on the fact I have no prior knowledge.
3.It was helpful because it got news from one place to another faster and it wasn't useful because the normal Americans did not know Morse code and couldn't send messages.
I played game number 1. :) because well I'm not sure, i just chose one. :)
ReplyDeleteThe challenging part about the test is well i don't exactly know morse code..so yeah.
Other people wouldnt know what you were saying when you were doing morse code so that would be a plus.
But at the same time somebody you're trying to talk to may not know morse code. :(
by Mr. Gage Kray
1. I took the second test because I kind of like that beeping noise.
ReplyDelete2. Everything was hard because sometimes it would misinterprate my beeps, and I know nothing about
Morse code.
3. Morse code helped people communicate from long distances in wars. It could be ineffective because people could mistake a beep for a beeeeeeeeeep.
1. I did test 1 because it seemed easyer then test 2 so that's why i did it
ReplyDelete2. I found the hole test hard because i don't know any Morse code
3. It was helpful during wars for sending information to people, it was not good because it is hard to learn.
-1. I did both tests:)
ReplyDelete-2. I found the numbers to be hard because you would think for example, that the number 2 would be 2 shorts, but it was really confusing.
-3. For sending messages in war it would be very helpful, but it's would be hard to listen to AAALLLLLLLL day!
1. I did the first one because it looked fun but I didn't get any of the because it was hard.
ReplyDelete2. It was Challenging because i didn't know morse code.
3. It would be useful because to get messages to soldiers quicker. but harder if the did not know how the heck to un-code it.
1. I chose test 2 because it seemed like more of a challenge.
ReplyDelete2. That you had to know each combonation for all the letters and numbers.
3. I think that Morse code would have been useful so you could communicate from long distances and the enemy wouldn't know what your saying. It would be inefective because its a challenge to know what letter it is when it all runs together.
1. Which test did you try and why?
ReplyDeleteI tried the first one because I thought it would be easier than having to make the letter or number.
2. What did you find challenging about the test? Explain. The whole test was hard because I didn't know morse code so it was hard to get the right answer. After playing it for a while, you start to remember so of them so it gets a little easier.
3. Based on your knowledge of the United States during and after the Civil War, how was Morse Code useful to the American people? Explain.
I think it was probably helpful to communicate as long as you knew morse code.
How was it ineffective for the American people? Explain. If you didn't know morse code, it was not useful for you and ten words per minute isn't worth it. It would take forever to type a message to someone.
1.)I chose test two because I thought it would be much more fun to try and find the code by doing it by myself. That way, I can make the "Morse Noise" by myself and hear it. And you have a lot more options instead of choosing between numbers and letters.
ReplyDelete2.) It was pretty challenging because I haven't used or studied Morse code before.
3.) I think it was helpful because people could send information to each other much faster. It helped with keeping our messages to our country, and other people wouldn't know our plans. Although it helped with that, it was defective because a lot of people didn't know Morse Code
1.I tired Morse Machine because it look fun and hard at the same time.
ReplyDelete2. What did you find challenging about the test? Explain. What i found challenging is how you knew which letters or numbers.
3.The Morse Code was useful by helping with people talking to people over long distances and helps with mail not taking so long to get. What makes it ineffective is that sometimes would not go though and or they would put the right letters symbols
1. I tried both because i thought that it would be fun but i epicly failed due to my lack in the arts.
ReplyDelete2. I found it challenging that just to listen and figure out the words. I also thought it was hard to have just the right spacing in between the bleeps.
3. Morse code could have been useful to Americans because they could send messages to people without using mail and they wouldn't have to spend money on anything. A disadvantage would be that they don't build lines everywhere so you would have to go into the city to send one and you would also have to know each letter and numbers notation.
1. I tried the listen and guess test because it seemed easier, and without me knowing a lot about Morse code, I figured doing the easier one first would be better.
ReplyDelete2. I found that some of the codes are really similar and if you don't pay close attention, you can mix them up.
3. I think it was useful because you could communicate without everyone knowing right away what your saying. You would have to be paying close attention. I think it could be bad because you can misunderstand what you hear or see, causing conflict.
1. I chose test one because it looked easier and it had less choices and test 2 had lots of choices for the answers in long and short.
ReplyDelete2. I found the fact that i don't know morse code made it much harder than if I did.
3. It was usefull to the American people because if someone important died then people all over the country could know right away. Or when someone gets elected president then the whole country could know right away
1. I did test number 2, because I thought it would be more fun.
ReplyDelete2. The thing that I found most challenging was putting the dashes in right.
3. The mores code helped long distance conversations, it was bad because not everyone knew mores code.
1. I tried both and like the first test the best because there was less to chose from.
ReplyDelete2. On the 2nd test it's too challenging to figure out the longs and shorts of a word or letter
3.It was useful during the war to send out messages and to be very secretive because there was probably few who knew it. It was probably ineffective because they had no idea what it meant and the wanted to know what was going on.
1. I tried the 2nd test, because I thought it would be easier to type the morse code than guess by the sounds.
ReplyDelete2. I found the numbers really challenging. You would think that 1 would be just a short, but it wasn't. I really don't understand how he invented this, did he use some kind of method, or was it random?
3. Morse code would have been useful because it provided a way for messages to travel faster than mail. I think it would have been ineffective because not everyone understands morse code, and some letters and numbers could easily be confused with other ones.
1.I took both of the test. Why I tried both of them is they both looked really fun to play.
ReplyDelete2. The second one sometimes would not except my beeps.
3.It helped people be somewhere else and contact another person without traveling. People could of made a mistake on what the sender was trying to send.
1. I tried the second test because i thought that it looked like more fun, and I thought it would be fun to write what it wants you to.
ReplyDelete2. I though it was hard because even if you stopped for a second, it would take all of what you had down, even if you weren't done.
3. It was useful because no one else knew what it meant but not useful because everyone had to learn it and it would be as hard as a new language to learn.
1. I tried test two because I thought it would be easier to put in the code for the letter/number.
ReplyDelete2. The thing I found most challenging about the test was that sometimes numbers would show up, and we didn't have the code for the numbers. Also because sometimes you would push the button too long so it would enter a short instead of a long or long instead of short.
3. The Morse code was useful to the United States after the Civil War because we could transmit messages between states, war ships, and eventually submarines easier and faster. It made things easier because the code doesn't take long to type. The code was ineffective because sometimes the codes could get messed up. So you could've meant to do short, long, long and it came out as short, short, long instead. So the message could say something completely different.
1. I chose morse the letter because I had the cheat sheet and I thought it was easier with that.
ReplyDelete2. The thing that I found a challenge was the numbers because I didn't have a cheat sheet for that.
3. It was effective because the enemy could not decipher what the code was saying. But wasn't helpful because if there was an American to decipher it would be very easy for them to find what it says.
1. I chose test two because I thought it would be easier than test one and it was.
ReplyDelete2. What I found the hardest was the numbers because I couldn't look at a cheat sheet. Also, if you accidentally did long and you meant short, you couldn't erase it.
3. It was useful because you could get information around faster than mail or horseback.Also, if a person was to chain along, they could tell it wrong. It helped Americans because the other countries couldn't interpret it and hear our messages.