The modern computer keyboard's roots lie in the invention of the typewriter, with Christopher Latham Sholes credited with the first practical typewriter and the QWERTY keyboard layout in 1868 and 1878, respectively. 

Here's a more detailed look at the keyboard's evolution:

Early Typewriters and Keyboards:

Christopher Latham Sholes, along with Samuel W. Soule, Carlos Glidden, and John Pratt, is credited with inventing the first typewriter in the United States. 

Sholes patented the first practical modern typewriter in 1868. 

The QWERTY keyboard layout, patented by Sholes and James Densmore in 1878, was designed to overcome the mechanical limitations of the time, preventing keys from jamming. 

The Hansen Writing Ball:

Rasmus Malling-Hansen of Denmark invented the "Hansen Writing Ball" in 1865, which was mass-produced in 1870. 

This was the first keyboard with small, individually marked keys designed to be depressed by a fingertip. 

Evolution of Keyboard Layouts:

The QWERTY layout, while not necessarily designed for speed, became the standard due to its practicality and the large number of typewriters using it. 

Other keyboard layouts, like the Dvorak layout, were developed as faster and more ergonomic alternatives to QWERTY. 

The Shift Key:

The first keyboard with a Shift key was introduced on the Remington No. 2 typewriter in 1878. 

The Underwood Typewriter:

The Underwood typewriter, invented by Franz Xaver Wagner and later developed by John Underwood, is considered one of the first successful modern typewriters. 

IBM Selectric Typewriter:

IBM introduced its IBM Selectric typewriter in 1961, which used a typeball containing characters that would strike an ink ribbon. 

Keypunch Devices

Herman Hollerith developed the first keypunch devices, which soon evolved to include keys for text and number entry akin to normal typewriters by the 1930s.