When we learn about the history of the world we usually divide it up into eras, dynasties, major wars, revolutions, etc. But what we all learn is that even the smallest thing can have a massive impact on history. In this book, Tom Standage chose to look at the way six different beverages altered history. I never knew how important different beverages were throughout history, but Standage was able to prove that beverages were responsible for global revolutions, intellectual and political insights, and good motivators for work. Beer was the first beverage to come into play in Standage’s book and was viewed as being responsible for global revolution. He discusses the history of beer while also presenting a story of the domestication of cereal …show more content…
When first discovered it was still hard to transport and was exotic and scarce. Wine conveyed power, prestige, and privilege. When wine was discovered in Greek culture it became more widely available and everyone was eventually drinking wine. Roman farmers combined Greek influence with their own farming background through viticulture. The wines they created became a symbol of social differentiation and eventually the power and prestige and privilege that came from wine was based on where the wine came from and the climate the vines were grown in. Wine became so special to people that there were special rooms designed just for drinking wine. These rooms were called symposiums. Symposiums were designed to not only drink wine but for people to have a place where they could speak their mind and not worry about being judged. Like symposiums, coffeehouses emerged in the 17th century. During this time was the Age of Illumination, and at this point scientists needed secret places to meet in order to talk about what they believed in, thus the emergence of coffeehouses. These coffeehouses and symposiums were home to intellectual and political conversations. There were places where thinkers could think and dreamers could dream, and where science could be
"On Food and History." 'On Food and History' N.p., 13 May 2008. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.
In the book, A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom standage, is about Standage trying to validate that these six drinks (Beer, Wine, Spirits, Tea, Coffee, and Coca-Cola) are what help create a path for America, human history, and the development in history. In the introduction of the book, Standage voices that “Drinks have had a closer connection to the flow of history than is generally acknowledged, and a greater influence on its course. Understanding the ramification of who drank what, and why, and where they got it from…” (5) Standage is an Author and Journalist from England. His book A History of the World in 6 Glasses helps probe the development of history and social branching. In the book civilization and globalization is also a key point because Standage believes that those six drinks are what created a catalyst for each drink to shape the world around us.
World History, itself is a very well complicated topic to discuss. Many other authors have tried to condense many years of history in one book. Subjected to fail, Tom Standage’s attempt was a success. Instead of Standage trying to sum up the history, he simply based the book upon a single topic, in this case beverages.
The Roman writer and naturalist Pliny the Elder, in his treatise Naturalis Historia states “there is nothing more useful than wine for strengthening the body, while, at the same time, there is nothing more pernicious as a luxury, if we are not on our guard against excess.” Years before he wrote those words, wine had in fact come from humble origins outside Italy itself. Furthermore, the process of fermenting grapes goes back thousands of years, and its beginning can be traced to where the wild grown grape-vine, vitis vinifera, flourished and was actively utilized for this reason.
Did you know that in the 1920s the American government poisoned alcoholic beverages to stop excessive use of it from the consumers? Of course, this happened during Prohibition which was the America government’s attempt to stop and illegalize the manufacture and marketing of beer. Surprisingly, Prohibition lasted from 1920 until 1933.Throughout the prohibition period, many famous and infamous leaders rose, such as Alphonse Capone, Carry Nation, and Adolphus Busch. Expectedly the use of alcohol during the 1920s caused strong and respectable men to become diverted dull and to be extremely abusive to their spouse and children; therefore causing it to be a necessity to be abolished in the eyes of the American government. “We Sang Rock of Ages”: Frances Willard’s Battles Alcohol in the late 19th century is a selection from an autobiography by Frances Willard in which it provided detailed report of her experience participating in a temperance movement. Frances Willard’s literary piece uplifts the idea of humane purity against foul and slow working toxins that are capable of corrupting the most innocent kind of men, and stresses the importance for men to not be pressured to follow the crowd. Frances Willard’s “We Sang Rock of Ages” essay indicated the temperance movement’s pursuit to heal social morals, abolish the excessive use of alcohol, and target slaves of alcohol to turn to God through prayer as well as song.
It is not common that when one thinks of the history of the world that the thought of beer, wine, spirits, tea, coffee, or even Coca-Cola comes to mind. Matter of fact, the thought of a beverage having an impact in history may be the very last thing that comes to mind. But according to Tom Standage in his book A History of the World in 6 Glasses, he argues that these six drinks have had an all-round influence in the history of the world. It is hard to imagine that the drinks we know of today, were the foundation and building blocks of the history that has been engraved in us. As to which beverage has had a greater impact in history, it is a matter of the extent to which each particular drink has contributed to influencing, not just people, but the course of history. Not diminishing the impact of the other beverages, but coffee has had a greater impact in history over tea and the other drinks.
There are many cumulative events that have influenced Western Civilization reflective in today’s modern world, but the most impactful was the French Revolution. Western Civilization has many historic milestones building to the world as we know it, but none set such broad themes that are felt in our everyday life. Many of these themes have become so ingrained into the way we live that we can’t understand a world without them. For this reason, the effects of the French Revolution molded the westernized world more so than any other event. I consider the French Revolution the catalyst to how our world is shaped today. It’s ideas and events continue to echo through our lives century after century.
Heiser, C.B. 1981. Seed to civilization: the story of food. Second ed. W.H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco. 254 pp.
Ezell, Marcel D. "Early Attitudes toward Alcoholic Beverages in the South" Red River Valley Historical Review 7, 1982.
In the eighteenth century etchings entitled “Beer Street and Gin Lane",are two prints of English satirist William Hogarth where he supported the drinking of beer in comparison to the consumption of gin. These prints were designed side by side so that the viewers see drinking beer as less intoxicating than the evil side effects of gin drinking. At the same time this "Gin Lane" a companion of the other printing increased public awareness of drinking, and its deadly consequences led to a campaign against the British government economic plan. Before we move forward, some clarifications needed to be made in order to understand the comparativeness of the multiple meanings of Gin Lane's degrading activities.
Many Americans, religious leaders, and political leaders saw alcohol as the key to all that was evil, a curse on the nation. Significant numbers of people believed that the consumption of alcoholic beverages presented a serious threat to the integrity of their most vital foundations, especially the family (“Prohibition” 846).
Most people point to wars, Presidents or the economy when asked to describe the history of the United States, but what about alcohol. Social history in general has always taken a back seat to political and economic history, mostly because many aspects of social history are not exactly bright spots from the past. Alcohol, for example, is actually a much bigger aspect of our history than one may expect. As a matter of fact, early America was centered around drinking as a kind of social event. William Rorabaugh’s book Alcoholic Republic outlines how prevalent drinking really was during the years after the Revolutionary War. Rorabaugh argues that post-colonial Americans should be considered alcoholics. However, the evidence Rorabaugh uses
The Web. The Web. 02 May, 2016. http://drinkingage.procon.org/.
A History of the World in 6 Glasses, written by Tom Standage is a book which traces the impact beverages have had on shaping the course of history which is more significant than often noticed. Tom Standage has worked at places such as New York Times, and Daily Telegraph. Currently he works at The Economist, and shows a significant interest in historical significance which led him to write six historical books including A History of the World in 6 Glasses and his most recent Writing on the Wall. In my opinion, Standage writes this book with the age of readers in mind. It is written so people of all ages can enjoy and understand. He has a very
Warsh, Cheryl Krasnick. ""John Barleycorn Must Die": An Introduction to the Social History of Alcohol ." In Drink in Canada: Historical Essays , by Cheryl Karsnick Warsh, 3-26. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1993. (SUNY Stony Brook HV 5306.D75 1993)