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 had to pay for the delivery, which was often expensive. The reformer Rowland Hill proposed prepayment, which encouraged more people to send letters. This led to a dramatic increase in mail volume, but also created challenges for sorting and delivery. By the early 20th century, postal services began using mechanized sorting equipment to handle the growing workload.