| Have you ever wondered where cigars were first | | | | are still suspect, although many believe it is simply a |
| produced? It is widely believed that cigars were | | | | corruption of the word Tobago, which is the name of |
| first produced in Spain. But before cigars became all | | | | a Caribbean island. Still others believe it comes from |
| the rage in Europe, tobacco was needed to make | | | | the word Tabasco, a region (and now state) in |
| them. Have you ever wondered where cigars were | | | | Mexico. The first tobacco plantation in the United |
| first produced? It is widely believed that cigars | | | | States was established in Virginia in 1612. More |
| were first produced in Spain. But before cigars | | | | tobacco plantations followed in Maryland soon after. |
| became all the rage in Europe, tobacco was needed | | | | Although tobacco became a popular crop, it was only |
| to make them. Tobacco is indigenous to the | | | | smoked in pipes. The cigar was not introduced to |
| Americas, where native peoples have produced it for | | | | the United States until the late 18th century. Israel |
| hundreds of years. It is believed that the Maya of | | | | Putnam, an army general who had served in the |
| Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and parts of Central | | | | Revolutionary War, is credited with introducing the |
| America cultivated tobacco, and even smoked it! | | | | cigar to the United States. He had traveled to Cuba |
| Tobacco use spread to other tribes, both north and | | | | after the Revolutionary War and returned with a box |
| south. It is believed that its first use in the United | | | | of Cuban cigars. Their popularity quickly spread, and |
| States was probably among the tribe along the | | | | soon enough cigar factories were established in the |
| Mississippi. It wasn't until Christopher Columbus sailed | | | | area of Harford, Connecticut, where General Putnam |
| his famous voyage to the Americas in 1492 that the | | | | resided. In Europe, cigar production and consumption |
| rest of the world came to know tobacco.It is said | | | | did not achieve widespread popularity until after the |
| that Columbus was not impressed by tobacco or its | | | | Peninsula War in the early 19th century. British and |
| use among native peoples, but many sailors grew | | | | French veterans returned to their homelands after |
| found of the strange plant. Soon it quickly caught | | | | years of serving in Spain with their tobacco pipes in |
| on in Spain and Portugal. From there, it spread to | | | | tow. Among the rich and fashionable, the favored |
| France, where the French ambassador Jean Nicot lent | | | | method of taking tobacco was the cigar. Cigar |
| his name to the scientific name for tobacco (Nicotiana | | | | smoking remains a habit associated with the rich and |
| tabacum). The origins of the word tobacco itself | | | | discriminating of upper society. |