A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information or data. It can store, retrieve, and process data. For example, you can use a computer to type documents, surf the Internet, play games, and much more.
The history of computers goes back thousands of years. The first computers were people! They used their knowledge and abilities to perform calculations or solve problems. For example, early machines called abacuses were used for counting. In the 1800s, Charles Babbage designed a device called the Analytical Engine that could be programmed to perform different tasks; however, it was never completed due to a lack of funding.
In 1937 John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry developed the first electronic computer called the Atanasoff-Berry Computer; however, this machine was not built until 1973! In 1941 Konrad Zuse designed and made programmable computers in Germany; however, these machines were destroyed during World War II, so he is not credited with being the inventor of programmable computers. Finally, in 1943 Harvard University professors Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper created Harvard Mark I, a sizeable-sized calculator that weighed five tons! Computers have come a long way since then, with most households having at least one desktop PC or laptop.