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The first powered flight covered 120 feet

On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright kept the first powered flight aloft for about 120 feet.

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The Wright brothers flew four times that day. On the last flight, Wilbur covered 852 feet in 59 seconds.

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The first cross-country railroad cut months to a week

The transcontinental railroad, finished on May 10, 1869, shortened a journey of several months to about one week.

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A coded telegram helped pull America into World War I

In 1917 Germany's foreign secretary sent Mexico a coded message proposing a military alliance against the United States.

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One cotton gin could clean 50 pounds a day

Eli Whitney's cotton gin, patented on March 14, 1794, could produce up to fifty pounds of cleaned cotton in a day.

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