Early history tells of courier systems among the Persians, the Romans, and the Incas of South America, organized for the sole purpose of governmental communication. There was then no provision for the ordinary citizen. And besides, very few citizens could even read and write, so as to take advantage of such means of communication.
Some factors that worked together to produce a sudden upsurge in the demand for communication were: the discovery of the western hemisphere, with its consequent spread of population; the advent of printing; and the great widening of opportunities for education. To meet this demand, Franz von Taxis introduced an international postal service in the sixteenth century. It operated between and among a limited number of European states. This exchange of mail was governed by international agreements—not one overall convention, but rather a number of bilateral treaties.
The era of steamships and railroads brought low-cost transportation of private mail, and greatly spurred the growth of communication by letter. Postal administrations became aware of the need to standardize their methods and charges and to simplify the formalities involved. Introduction of "penny postage" in Great Britain in 1840 and the creation of the postage stamp by Rowland Hill were steps in the right direction.
Some factors that worked together to produce a sudden upsurge in the demand for communication were: the discovery of the western hemisphere, with its consequent spread of population; the advent of printing; and the great widening of opportunities for education. To meet this demand, Franz von Taxis introduced an international postal service in the sixteenth century. It operated between and among a limited number of European states. This exchange of mail was governed by international agreements—not one overall convention, but rather a number of bilateral treaties.
The era of steamships and railroads brought low-cost transportation of private mail, and greatly spurred the growth of communication by letter. Postal administrations became aware of the need to standardize their methods and charges and to simplify the formalities involved. Introduction of "penny postage" in Great Britain in 1840 and the creation of the postage stamp by Rowland Hill were steps in the right direction.