Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. In the 19th century, the introduction of the penny post in Britain revolutionized communication. Before that, the recipient, not the sender, usually paid for the letter, and the cost was often very high. The reform, led by Sir Rowland Hill in 1840, made postage affordable for ordinary people. Interestingly, the first adhesive stamp, the Penny Black, was issued in the same year. However, its use was short-lived because the black color made it difficult to see the cancellation mark, so it was replaced by the Penny Red just a year later.