Introduction

The internet began as a research project by the U.S. Department of Defense in the late 1960s. Originally called ARPANET, it was designed to create a decentralized communication network that could withstand partial destruction during wartime. By the 1980s, this network had evolved into a system connecting university and research institutions, before expanding to the general public in the 1990s.

What made the early internet revolutionary was its open architecture and decentralized nature. Built on open protocols like TCP/IP, HTTP, and SMTP, the internet enabled anyone to build on top of its infrastructure without requiring permission from gatekeepers. This openness sparked unprecedented innovation and transformed how humanity communicates, learns, and conducts commerce.