History of clarinet

It was invented around 1690. Clarinet developed from a instrument called the chalumeau.
This instrument was similar to a recorder (of the family fipple flute), but with a single reed mouthpiece and a cylindrical bore.
Around the turn of the 18th century the chalumeau was modified by converting one of its keys into a register key to produce the first clarinet.
The final development of the clarinet used in most of the world was introduced by Hyacinthe Klose in 1839.
Klose was so impressed by Boehm's invention (flute developer Theobald Boehm) that he named his own system for clarinets the Boehm system, although it is different from the one used on flutes.
Gradually it became the standard, and today the Boehm system is used everywhere in the world except Germany and Austria, there still use a direct descendant of the Mueller clarinet known as the Oehler system clarinet.
Some Dixieland and Klezmer style players still use Albert system clarinets, because of simpler fingering that allows easier  gliding over the notes.