Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. In the 19th century, before the introduction of the penny post in 1840, sending a letter was very expensive, and the cost was usually paid by the recipient, not the sender. This meant that many people could not afford to receive mail. The reform was largely driven by Rowland Hill, who proposed that postage should be paid in advance and at a uniform rate regardless of distance. His idea was to make mail affordable for everyone, which would increase the volume of letters and ultimately benefit the economy. The first adhesive postage stamp, the Penny Black, was issued in May 1840.