Final answer:
Samuel Morse invented the telegraph in 1837, which greatly enhanced long-distance communication using Morse Code. This innovation was pivotal in speeding up information flow and unifying the nation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The person who invented the telegraph was Samuel Morse in 1837. This invention dramatically improved the means to communicate over long distances by sending electrical impulses across wires which could be translated into letters using a system known as Morse Code. The telegraph was initially utilized to warn train stations of multiple trains on the track, representing a significant advance in the way the nation could share information. In 1844, Morse sent the first telegraph message between Washington, DC, and Baltimore with the help of funding from Congress. This development in communications technology united the nation by providing a speed of information dissemination previously unattainable, bolstering the progress in business, economics, and politics.