The QWERTY keyboard dates from the 1870s, and the story that it was designed to slow typists down is a myth.
Christopher Latham Sholes rearranged the keys of his typewriter several times before settling on the layout sold by Remington in 1874. The order probably reduced jams by separating some common letter pairs, and was also shaped by telegraph operators' needs.
Why is this true?
Once typists had learned QWERTY, no alternative could displace it, even layouts designed to be faster. It is a classic example of a standard surviving because switching costs are too high.
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More about inventions
Most inventions arrive by accident, in the wrong order, or decades before anyone finds a use for them. Microwaves, sticky notes, safety glass and vulcanised rubber all started as mistakes or side effects. The facts here trace how the thing actually came about, note who noticed the accident and why it mattered, and point at a source so you can follow the full story if it hooks you.