The history of computers began in the early 19th century with the invention of the analytical engine by Charles Babbage. This mechanical device laid the groundwork for modern computing concepts, although it was never completed. The first electronic computers emerged in the 1940s, such as the ENIAC, which used vacuum tubes and could perform complex calculations. In the following decades, computers evolved rapidly with the introduction of transistors in the 1950s, leading to smaller and more efficient machines. The development of microprocessors in the 1970s paved the way for personal computers, making technology accessible to the general public and transforming how we work and communicate.