History of Shorthand

Continues

1. B.C 3000

   Record with Reed Pens

   Humans are believed to have started writing with pens around 3000 BCE. In the Mesopotamian region, the Sumerians used reed pens to inscribe cuneiform script onto clay tablets, which is one of the earliest known examples. These records were used for various purposes in early civilization, including administration, commerce, and law.

   
2. BC 63

   First Stenographer

   The profession of stenographer first emerged in ancient Rome. In 63 BCE, Tiro, the secretary of the Roman statesman and orator Cicero, invented a shorthand system known as Tironian notes to record his speeches and meeting minutes. Tironian notes used shorthand symbols to enable rapid writing, marking the beginning of the stenographer profession.

   
3. 1868

   First Typewriter

   The first use of the typewriter began in the mid-19th century. In 1868, Christopher Latham Sholes, an American inventor, created an early version of the modern typewriter. After completing his invention, Sholes sold it to the Remington & Sons company in 1873. This company then released the first commercially successful typewriter, the "Sholes and Glidden Type-Writer", in 1874.

   
4. 1964

   Modern Keyboard

   The first computer keyboard emerged in the mid-20th century. In the 1950s, IBM introduced a keyboard with one of the first commercial computers, the IBM 701. This early keyboard was based on typewriter design and was used for data entry and executing commands. In 1964, IBM established the basic form of the modern computer keyboard with the release of the Model 3270.