Final answer:
The telephone, patented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, had the most profound impact on communication in the 20th century, transforming both personal and professional communication by allowing instant, long-distance interaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
When evaluating which 20th-century invention had the biggest impact on communication, the invention of the telephone stands out. Patented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, the telephone transformed regional and national communications. Before its advent, the telegraph was the primary mode of communicating over distances, transmitting messages via Morse Code. The telegraph brought about a revolution in how information was shared and played a pivotal role in the functioning of print media.
However, the telephone allowed instant communication over larger distances, which enabled dynamic growth in urban spread and business communications. By connecting cities and citizens more efficiently, the telephone redefined the landscape of both personal and professional interaction. The rapid spread of the telephone networks brought about a fundamental change, demonstrated by over 1.5 million telephones in use by 1900 and an infrastructure that supported local service in hundreds of American cities.
Other inventions of the time, such as the typewriter and the phonograph, also contributed significantly to communication and information dissemination. The typewriter, perfected by Christopher Sholes in 1867, brought about more efficient ways to write and distribute printed material, while Thomas Edison's phonograph played a role in the recording and playback of audio. Though influential, these inventions did not match the transformative impact of the telephone on everyday communication.
In conclusion, while there were several significant inventions during the turn of the 20th century that impacted communication, the telephone is widely regarded as having the largest influence on how people interacted over distances, directly affecting the social and economic fabric of the time.