Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. In the 19th century, mail was delivered by horse-drawn coaches, which could take weeks to cross a country. The invention of the railway in the 1830s dramatically reduced delivery times. However, it was the introduction of the postage stamp in 1840, particularly the Penny Black in Britain, that made sending letters affordable for ordinary people. Before stamps, the recipient often paid the cost, which led to many refusals. The stamp shifted the cost to the sender, ensuring payment and increasing the volume of mail.