Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. Many people assume that mail delivery began in the 19th century, but in fact, organized postal systems date back to ancient Persia around 550 BC. However, the first public postal service with regular schedules was established in Britain in 1635 by King Charles I. Interestingly, the first postage stamp, the Penny Black, was introduced in 1840, not for convenience but to shift the cost of delivery from the receiver to the sender. This change significantly increased mail volume because it made sending letters more affordable for ordinary people.