David Timmerman Global History 2 Honors
Change and Continuity over Time Essay
For many centuries of human history, clean water was a luxury that was difficult to find. That was a problem, considering the fact that humans need water to survive. So, a large part of humanity’s advancements were spurred by a desire to have clean beverages to drink. From the dawn of civilization until today, six of these beverages have advanced civilizations in subtle, yet powerful, ways. These six drinks are beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola. Each one was a hallmark of a different era of civilization. Beer was the defining drink of the ancient civilizations of the Fertile Crescent, the cradle of civilized society. The Fertile Crescent extends …show more content…
After centuries of European infighting, the dust began to settle and the ideas of the Classical era were rediscovered, sparking new interest in exploration of the world. Spirits were a major impetus for this new Age of Exploration. Rum, specifically, was a key factor in the rise of European imperialism. The triangular trade between European countries like Great Britain, their colonies, and Africa. Rum and manufactured goods were shipped from Europe to Africa, slaves were sent to the New World, and the molasses and other crops they produced were shipped from the colonies to Europe. Since molasses is distilled to make rum, rum was an integral part of two legs of this triangular trade. In fact, British taxation on molasses had such a significant effect on the economy of the New World that it began to make British colonists consider declaring independence from their mother country and establish a new nation. Rum had a more subtle effect on Britain’s seafaring potential, too. The primary drink of British sailors, grog, was a mixture of rum, water, and citrus juice. This made British sailors far more resistant to scurvy and other illnesses, greatly improving their efficiency compared to the naval forces of other European powers. As a sailor’s drink in a seafaring time, liquor contributed greatly to the rise of European imperialism and the development of …show more content…
Their influence can be felt all over the world, and a large part of it was due to their staple beverage, tea. Regularly brewed in China since the third century A.D, tea was introduced to Britain in the seventeenth century and soon exploded in popularity. The immense demand for tea in Britain caused the nation to conquer large portions of East Asia, and even vest sovereign power in the British East India Company. Wars were declared and atrocities committed so that Britain could gain access to enough tea to meet the demand of their empire. Taxation on tea was even the last straw for the British colonists in the New World, bringing them to declare independence and secede from the British Empire. Tea did more than just incentivize Britain to become a massive imperial power, though. It also fueled the working class during a time when Britain was industrializing. Regular tea breaks gave factory workers the energy to manufacture more products, strengthening Britain’s already colossal economy. Tea also functioned as a sort of water purification system, with water being boiled to brew it. This was a large benefit for hygiene in a time where people were living in close quarters. Tea was the engine that kept Great Britain – and by extension the United States – running. It was a large part of why Britain became the globally influential power that it
Change and Continuity over Time Essay
For many centuries of human history, clean water was a luxury that was difficult to find. That was a problem, considering the fact that humans need water to survive. So, a large part of humanity’s advancements were spurred by a desire to have clean beverages to drink. From the dawn of civilization until today, six of these beverages have advanced civilizations in subtle, yet powerful, ways. These six drinks are beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola. Each one was a hallmark of a different era of civilization. Beer was the defining drink of the ancient civilizations of the Fertile Crescent, the cradle of civilized society. The Fertile Crescent extends …show more content…
After centuries of European infighting, the dust began to settle and the ideas of the Classical era were rediscovered, sparking new interest in exploration of the world. Spirits were a major impetus for this new Age of Exploration. Rum, specifically, was a key factor in the rise of European imperialism. The triangular trade between European countries like Great Britain, their colonies, and Africa. Rum and manufactured goods were shipped from Europe to Africa, slaves were sent to the New World, and the molasses and other crops they produced were shipped from the colonies to Europe. Since molasses is distilled to make rum, rum was an integral part of two legs of this triangular trade. In fact, British taxation on molasses had such a significant effect on the economy of the New World that it began to make British colonists consider declaring independence from their mother country and establish a new nation. Rum had a more subtle effect on Britain’s seafaring potential, too. The primary drink of British sailors, grog, was a mixture of rum, water, and citrus juice. This made British sailors far more resistant to scurvy and other illnesses, greatly improving their efficiency compared to the naval forces of other European powers. As a sailor’s drink in a seafaring time, liquor contributed greatly to the rise of European imperialism and the development of …show more content…
Their influence can be felt all over the world, and a large part of it was due to their staple beverage, tea. Regularly brewed in China since the third century A.D, tea was introduced to Britain in the seventeenth century and soon exploded in popularity. The immense demand for tea in Britain caused the nation to conquer large portions of East Asia, and even vest sovereign power in the British East India Company. Wars were declared and atrocities committed so that Britain could gain access to enough tea to meet the demand of their empire. Taxation on tea was even the last straw for the British colonists in the New World, bringing them to declare independence and secede from the British Empire. Tea did more than just incentivize Britain to become a massive imperial power, though. It also fueled the working class during a time when Britain was industrializing. Regular tea breaks gave factory workers the energy to manufacture more products, strengthening Britain’s already colossal economy. Tea also functioned as a sort of water purification system, with water being boiled to brew it. This was a large benefit for hygiene in a time where people were living in close quarters. Tea was the engine that kept Great Britain – and by extension the United States – running. It was a large part of why Britain became the globally influential power that it