Botanically, tomatoes are a fruit. This is because, generally, a fruit is the edible part of the plant that contains the seeds, while a vegetable is the edible stems, leaves, and roots of the plant.
Tomatoes belong to the same family as nightshade, the tomato's deadly cousin.
The tomato is native to the Americas. Tomato seeds were taken back to Europe where they quickly found favor in the Mediterranean countries of Spain, Portugal and Italy. As the tomato traveled north, it was veiled in mystery. The people of Maine quickly followed suit, combining fresh tomatoes with local seafood. By 1850, the tomato was an important produce item in every American city.