In class, we had the opportunity to listen to our classmates present about a technology assigned to them.
One of my favorite presentations to listen to was about the carrier pigeon, the ancient form of texting. This topic was presented by Josiah, and I found this to be the most surprising presentation as the majority of my classmates had more current technologies. Does this even count as a technology? It is just a bird after all.
However, this small bird did have a large impact on major societies, such as ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire. It was considered the fastest way to get a message from point A to point B, faster than horseback. This way of sending and receiving messages most likely spared lives, horseback would require a person to make the journey, which could be deadly. "Don't kill the messenger" had to have originated from somewhere. War times often would require important messages to be sent and received so this sped up the process in a crucial way.
While Pigeons are considered the rats of the bird world now, they used to be held in very high esteem.
Some would refer to them as "King's angels", and would be mostly used by wealthier groups of society such as kings.
However, their usage wasn't just held to ancient times. The British Royal family had kept Pigeons up until the 19th century. Pigeon Racing became an anticipated sport as well, originating in Belgium in 1818, and spreading to Great Britain and the United States soon following.
Carrier Pigeons also made their way to the battlefront, serving in World War 1 and 2 as crucial members of the Allied Powers. These birds were used in countless ways on the fronts. They were able to fly with pilots and report back to the soldiers what the pilots were observing. This would allow them to know what the enemy was doing behind their lines. Similar to what I said earlier, they spared lives on the front lines by allowing soldiers to stay out of the line of fire, as radio contact was dangerous and often not doable. They'd help organize tank units and battle plans, proving as true allies for the Allied Powers.
While the pigeon may not have much respect nowadays, they did commendable things for society and humanity alike and will always have a key spot in history.
