| Have you ever wondered where cigars were
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| | (Nicotiana tabacum). The origins of the
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| first produced? It is widely believed
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| | word tobacco itself are still suspect,
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| that cigars were first produced in Spain.
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| | although many believe it is simply a
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| But before cigars became all the rage in
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| | corruption of the word Tobago, which is
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| Europe, tobacco was needed to make them.
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| | the name of a Caribbean island. Still
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| Tobacco is indigenous to the Americas,
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| | others believe it comes from the word
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| where native peoples have produced it for
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| | Tabasco, a region (and now state) in
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| hundreds of years. It is believed that
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| | Mexico.
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| the Maya of Yucatan peninsula in Mexico
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| | The first tobacco plantation in the
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| and parts of Central America cultivated
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| | United States was established in Virginia
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| tobacco, and even smoked it! Tobacco use
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| | in 1612. More tobacco plantations
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| spread to other tribes, both north and
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| | followed in Maryland soon after.
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| south. It is believed that its first use
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| | Although tobacco became a popular crop,
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| in the United States was probably among
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| | it was only smoked in pipes. The cigar
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| the tribe along the Mississippi. It
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| | was not introduced to the United States
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| wasn't until Christopher Columbus sailed
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| | until the late 18th century. Israel
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| his famous voyage to the Americas in 1492
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| | Putnam, an army general who had served in
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| that the rest of the world came to know
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| | the Revolutionary War, is credited with
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| tobacco.
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| | introducing the cigar to the United
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| It is said that Columbus was not
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| | States. He had traveled to Cuba after
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| impressed by tobacco or its use among
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| | the Revolutionary War and returned with a
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| native peoples, but many sailors grew
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| | box of Cuban cigars. Their popularity
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| found of the strange plant. Soon it
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| | quickly spread, and soon enough cigar
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| quickly caught on in Spain and Portugal.
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| | factories were established in the area of
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| From there, it spread to France, where
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| | Harford, Connecticut, where General
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| the French ambassador Jean Nicot lent his
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| | Putnam resided.
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| name to the scientific name for tobacco
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