How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War

Nearly 150 years before the advent of texts, tweets and e-mail, President Abraham Lincoln became the first “wired president” by embracing the original electronic messaging technology—the telegraph. The 16th president may be remembered for his soaring oratory that stirred the Union, but the nearly 1,000 bite-sized telegrams that he wrote during his presidency helped win…

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When Mexico and France Went to War Over Baked Goods

Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Contrary to what many people think, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day (that’s September 16) or even a public holiday in Mexico. Instead, it marks Mexico’s May 5, 1862, victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Cinco de Mayo is a reminder that France…

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