Good morning, class. Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. Before the 19th century, letters were usually delivered by private couriers, which was expensive and slow. In 1837, Sir Rowland Hill proposed a uniform postage rate of one penny, regardless of distance. This idea, known as the Penny Post, revolutionized communication. Interestingly, the first adhesive postage stamp, the Penny Black, was issued in Britain in 1840. However, many people initially refused to use stamps because they preferred to pay on delivery. It took several years for stamps to become widely accepted.