When the American colonies declared their independence in 1776, it took 48 days for the news to cross the Atlantic. The arrival of the telegraph in 1843 and the telephone in 1876 meant that news could get to anywhere in the world almost instantly. The beginning of radio communication in 1896 meant tha sounds could travel vast distances without the need for cables. When television arrived in 1936, moving pictures and sounds had the capability to be seen by millions at the same time anywhere in the world
