early 12c., one of the ecclesiastical princes who constitute the sacred college (short for cardinalis ecclesiae Romanae or episcopus cardinalis), from Latin cardinalis principal, chief, essential (see cardinal (adj.)). Ecclesiastical use began for the presbyters of the chief (cardinal) churches of Rome.
In 1889, the rotary telephone dial was invented by Almon B. Strowger , a Kansas City undertaker. The first dial exchange was installed at La Porte, Indiana, in 1892. In 1943, Philadelphia was the last major area to give up dual service.
Who invented telephone? The first telephone was made by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. Historians believe that another inventor Elisha Gray also invented the telephone at the same time independently and both the inventors rushed to the patent office to get their invention patented but Graham Bell got the patent first on March 7, 1876. Graham bell was born on March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh Scotland.