This document provides a historical overview of global communication from ancient times to the modern digital age. It discusses early methods of communication like signal fires, messenger systems, and mapmaking that helped connect distant places. Major technological developments are also summarized, such as the printing press, telegraph, telephone, radio, and internet, which transformed global interaction. The document traces how geographical and cultural barriers to communication broke down over time due to scientific innovations, exploration, trade networks, and the growth of international organizations in the 19th-20th centuries.

1. Muhammad Faheem
Subject:
Global Communication
Topic:
The Historical Path of Global
Communication
1

2. • Global Communication is related to share information among nations by
speaking, writing, reading, listening and by using of signals.
• In the age of technology, it is easy to interact with global communities through
Media.
• The role of global communication changed after cold war through technological
advancements and international relations.
• Internet is an effective medium to communicate effectively through emails and
other social media tools.
2
What Is Global Communication?

3. • Communication across distances has been continued from the last 3000
years
• Courier system by ancient China and Egypt
• Greeks fall of Troy was announced by lightning fires on the top of the
mountains.
• Every culture introduced the conditions of communication by
mythical Images in ancient life
• People of olden times were not more violent, feared from enemies,
animals and nature
3
Geographical Space
A Barrier To Communication

4. • The olden generation had the perception of fear in theirlives.
• Ancient Greeks believed in one-eyed giants, Images and maps
and these images were designed by mapmakers
• Travel was limited in a few square miles and vast world was grasped
through magical and metaphysical images
• Marines designed ancient maps illustrations (Edson, 1997)
6
Geography and The Mythical World

5. • Foreign lands were the frightening places, Europeans
believed that India and Africa were the places where
pygmies fought with storks
a. People of doglike heads
b. People run as faster as wind
c. People could carry elephants in their talons
d. Headless people whose eyes were in their stomas
e. Animals able to fly
7

6. • During the middle ages, Prof. John wrote a letter for
addressing Europeans. He wanted to rule over this land,
frightened Europeans but in 11-12th century PopeAlexander
gave response of Johns letter
• Attila, king of Medieval Huns (353-406 C.E.) used this
psychological power of mythical beliefs against his enemies.
These stories were much pronounced in uneducated classes
8

7. • Greek and Arab philosophers and mathematicians introduced
rational models of knowledge after the mythical beliefs become
popular and perceived that “world is a measureable space”
• In the 4th century, Greek explorer ‘Pytheas’ sailed towards Spain, France and
British regions. His name was known as the earliest astronomical and
mariner for many decades
• Alexander stretched the European boundaries world wide. His empire
covered Egypt, Balkans, Asia and Ganges River in India
• In 4th century, trade was established in his empire with south and ease
Europe, Africa andAsia
• His empire worked on geographical knowledge and established the ways to
open a “Library of Alexandria”. This library held half million papyrus rolls.
9
Ancient Encounter Of Social and Culture

8. • Before 2000 C.E in Europe, migration was the way to spend
their lives by changing climates and for food requirements
but after the improvement in farming, people settles in fertile
lands permanently by confronting war.
• Travel was difficult for increasing the state business. That
was the main reason, Asian did not travel far.
• The culture of Asia was governed by the monarchy of China.
Korea, Japan and Vietnam were united with China
10
Global Explorers
Migrants, Holy People, Merchants

9. • During the 9th century, Arab ships did many trips from
Persian Gulf to China by sea routes
• A north African writer wrote a document “Amusement
for Him Who Desired To Travel Round The World”
• Historian says , there was running a dynamic period
when social and intellectual life was in interaction
• In this era, 2 million people of Europe were not in favor of
distance communication but it’s an unusual fact that this
era had established many favorable opportunities
11

10. • Jewish merchants traveled by using the routes of Spain to
Europe and East to India and China. An Arab writer
composed in his Book “The Book of Roads & Kingdom”
• Morcopolo traveled to the kingdom of Mongols and then to
Kublai Khan about 160 C.E. European traders thought more
but knew little. Traders wanted to obtain silk from east for
Europe. He helped to bring down the barriers between
Europe andAsia
12

11. • Mapmaking was an essential part of communication history.
• Maps were used for different keys and for unlocking
unknown worlds
• After the invention of printing press, maps did great help in
finding ancient data, in which travels, adventures and
pilgrims were important including Columbus’s long journey
which had been secured on charts
13
Mapmakers In The Medieval World

12. • Mapmaking implemented by European powers for
“buildings”
a) Mapmaking for marine navigation
b) For religious pilgrimage
c) For military and administration uses
d) An intellectual tool of ancient Greece, Romans and Greeks
• After the fall of Roman Umpire, Europe had been divided by
Islam in South. At that time, medieval photographers
depicted the world in Asia, Africa and Europe bymaps
• Religious belief system reflected by medieval maps
• Muslims pursued the direction of holiest shrine at Mecca.
Muslims also communicated Divine knowledge for the
creation of civilized societies.
14

13. • The earliest communication system for distances known as a “Simple
Signal System” which had employed fire and beacon
• Signal system for military usage “Beacon to Beacon” across mountain tops
• Torch signals which were based on alphabet letters by Greeks (200-118
B.C.E) were specifically used by Greeks military
• By Roman (26-37 C.E.) from Island of Capri, Heliograph was introduced
‘an apparatus for signaling by means of a moveable mirror which reflects
flashes of sunlight.
15
Inventors: Signals and Semaphores

14. • Cyrus Horse Courriers
Greek historian said, there were 111 couriers relay stations between
Sardis and Susa and the distance of these couriers was 1800 miles. Cyrus
gave a message to the field commander of this courier
“ There is nothing in the world which travels faster than these Persian
couriers…”
• Romans adopted the Persian courier. Each station maintained 40 horses,
covered the distance of 50 to 100 miles/day
• During the middle ages, Charlemagne introduced a courier system in
France, Italia and Spain.
16

15. • In 1464 Louis reintroduced relay station system in France
• In 1481, England introduced a private commercial courier system
which was based on royal franchises
• In 13th century, Morcopolo described relay system with Mongols.
Each station was at 25 to 30miles distance and 250 to 500 miles/day
distances was covered with 400 horses
• Mongols ruler Genghis Khan used pigeons for courier system in
12th century. Through this, all central Asia was covered
• Other Communication Innovation
a) Tapping codes
b) Magnetic compass
c) Metal tubes
d) Electric telegraph(16th century)
e) Telescope (1608 by Hans Lippersley ‘Dutch’)
17

16. • In middle ages, clerks were the few literates who had command on
writing
a) Religious duties of clerks(writing of legal documents)
b) In diplomacy and commerce, letters were used effectively
• After the development of printing press in Europe, Diversity in
intellectuals and cultural life emerged a market place of
information and literacy
• Printed press in Asia(8th century)
a) Chinese had lot of collection to produce text
b) Arabs defeated Chinese at Samarkand and captured Chinese
papermaker
c) Papermaker in Spain(1150),
In Italy (1270), In Germany (1390)
The Printing Press, Literacy &
The Knowledge Exploration

17. • Social consequences of printing press(for reading practices,
reformation of European institutions, religious and governance)
• In the mid of 19th century, Mergenthaler introduced a printing machine
of molten metal which set lines and columns
• The postal services (accessible for middle class)
19

18. 20
a) Isolated countries emerged as global networks
b) Electric Telegraph (1844) introduced two way exchange of information
with long distances
c) With the passage of time, Electric Telegraph followed by Telephoneand
Wireless Radio and emerged a social revolution in information age
d) Limited services of Telegraph (Town, cities and with in country)
e) Support of Governments to Scientists
f) Scientists themselves worked for improving these standards
Science & International Network
Technological innovation emerged in the mid of 20th century

19. • To overcome the conflicts among nations, International
organizations were organized. The 1st International organization
was established in 1851 with the name of“Central Commission for
The Navigation of Rhine”
• France played central role in negotiations with International
Colonial Powers
• France introduced one of the best organized visual system
including towers network across country
• First standard code of science in 1860 by Germany for the usage of
chemicals
a) In few years, many conferences were conducted and revolution
came in astrology(1865), Pharmacy(1865), Meteorology(1873)
b) International Telegraph Union(1865)
c) Universal Postal Union (1875)
Metric System introduced by British and France
21

20. • Steam Boat “Savannah” (1819) crossed Atlantic Coast
• Steam Powered Railway (1830)
• Linkage of Telegraph and Steam Railways(1839) were the great innovations in
establishing International corporate empires
• In 1844, 150,000 telegraph lines in mostly Europe and North America
• American Telegraph Company (half prizes for neighboring countries)
• Graham Bell introduced Telephone in 1876
• First phone was sold to Western Union Telegraph Company for $100,000
22
The International Electric Revolution
Scientific Innovations in 19th Century

21. • In media agencies, Telephone was firstly used by Reuters
News Agency in 1850 and get the first news of Stock
Market Prizes
• Aerial Technology 1872(signals without wires)
• Edison develop ideas for wireless transmission which
were sold to Marconi
• First trans-Atlantic radio signal was received in 1901
23
Media Agencies, Telephone and Radio

22. • DE FOREST 1959, THE FATHER OF RADIO DID GREAT
ADVANCEMENTS IN SOUNDS BY USING VACUUMS TUBES. HIS
DREAM TO SOCIAL USE OF RADIO WAS BASED ON THE
TRANSMISSIONS TO MARINES AT SEA AS A KIND OF MUSICAL
BEACON.
• HE DID NOT LIKE TO COMMERCIALIZE THIS MEDIUM.
ACCORDINGTO HIM, TECHNOLOGY WAS USED BY ONLY
LIMITED WORKS
24

23. • Digital age
• Internet
• Global village
• Modernism and postmodernism
• Electronic Media, Print Media, Advertising,
Advertisements and Social Media
• Political Communication and Technology
• International Communication
• No transparency
Global Immediacy and Transparency

24. • http://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=xu6NJ_Zd2vYC&oi=fnd&pg=PR3&dq=geographical+s
pace+a+barriers+to+communication&ots=uUbksH-
_Uk&sig=4jzyyIGpBDqHt8kZoM_hJbjD9pU#v=onepage&q=geographical%20space%20a%20barriers%20t
o%20communication&f=false
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2.pdf
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Medieval+World&source=bl&ots=lZmewDEX5f&sig=1ASs98uzKAeD561T3af6B0ZpWTk&hl=en&sa=X
&ei=kIeVM6oIcSfO9btgZAD&ved=0CGkQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Mapmakers%20In%20The%20Medieva
l%20World&f=falsehttp://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YcPvV893aXgC&pg=PA1015&dq=Inventors:+Sig
nals+And+Sema phores&hl=en&sa=X&ei=gEMeVNz3L6efygP-
lYHYDw&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Inventors%3A%20Signals%20And%20Semaphores&f=fals e
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Lippershey
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3A%2F%2Fwww.grandstrategy.net%2FPublications%2FArticles%2FArticles%2FCommunications_Revolutio
n.pdf&ei=1kQeVOWZBoOAPZzjgKAB&usg=AFQjCNGPRz1FCrsmCH0L_PeGGFIKTA_FDg&bvm=bv.75775
273,d.ZWU
References