Before anyone got their news from Facebook or Twitter, telegrams made current events accessible around the globe. The invention's rise in popularity allowed the American Civil War to become one of the first conflicts to spark global interest.
The Cause of All Nations: An International History of the American Civil War by Professor Don Doyle examines how the war was received in the rest of the world, and how both sides attempted to sway international opinion. West Lafayette Public Library Director Nick Schenkel has this review.