What was the Pony Express?
AnswerA horseback mail relay across the American West
Riders on horseback relayed mail between Missouri and California.
Business · Facts & stats
Delivery facts & stats
7 fact-checked facts about mail and package delivery, each with the reason behind it. 5 more are in today's round and join this page after it closes.
The basics
How did carrier pigeons deliver messages?
AnswerBy flying back to their home loft
Homing pigeons return to their home loft, so messages went one way: toward home.
Going deeper
What was the name of the world's first adhesive postage stamp, issued in Britain in 1840?
AnswerPenny Black
The Penny Black showed Queen Victoria and went on sale in May 1840.
Which international body, founded in 1874, coordinates postal services between countries?
AnswerUniversal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union was created by an 1874 treaty and is now a UN specialized agency.
Who is credited with proposing the prepaid postage stamp in Britain?
AnswerRowland Hill
Rowland Hill's postal reforms introduced cheap prepaid postage and the Penny Black.
Expert level
In what year were US ZIP codes introduced?
Answer1963
The US Post Office Department launched five-digit ZIP codes on July 1, 1963.
In which city is the Universal Postal Union headquartered?
AnswerBern
The UPU has been based in Bern, Switzerland, since its founding.
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