Early computers
The abacus is sometimes called the first computer. It was invented more than 2,000 years ago to help with math.
In 1801, Joseph Marie Jacquard, a French merchant and inventor invents a loom that uses punched wooden cards to automatically weave fabric designs. Early computers would use similar punch cards.
In 1821, English mathematician Charles Babbage conceives of a steam-driven calculating machine that would be able to compute tables of numbers.
In 1848, Ada Lovelace, an English mathematician and the daughter of poet Lord Byron, writes the world's first computer program.
ENIAC was the first computer that could be programmed to do different tasks. ENIAC was so big, it took up the space of a whole room!
Since then, computers have become smaller and smaller. Now, small devices such as cell phones use tiny computer chips.
Desktop mini PC
