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| Many works of art and events wouldn't have happened if it weren't for coffee. |
People sleeping across desks during work hours, parents half-listening to what their children say, the whole world probably falling asleep by 9:00 p.m. In a world without coffee beans, there would be very few ways to stay awake and productive during those long working hours. More like zombies, less like humans. A coffeeless landscape doesn’t look very promising for humanity.
Alright, we could be exaggerating a little. One thing’s for sure though: the world really wouldn’t be the same without coffee. Beyond its wonderful effects on our brain, coffee has had a huge impact on our culture and society. From its discovery in the mountains of Ethiopia and Yemen to the coffeehouses where it thrived in Europe, coffee has come a long way to become one of the most traded commodities on Earth.
It’s not only about its consequences in the world economy, but it’s also about the impact it’s had on our culture, politics, and technological progress. It’s surprising what a little bean can do. But when you give humans a chance to search for a new potential, and they’ll find meaning in the apparently most insignificant things.
Coffee, imperialism, and slavery
Not everything was good and positive when it comes to coffee's history. In the early modern era, Europe emerged as an imperial power. The Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Dutch empires established coffee estates all across America and the Caribbean. The struggle for territories brought war, death, and destruction that were deeply suffered by African slaves and indigenous folks.
Coffee plantations also destroyed rainforests and deprived soils of its natural nutrients. Coffee fueled slave trade to supply the empires’ coffee production, and it quickly became a symbol of imperialism.
No Enlightenment without coffee
We don’t think the Dutch knew how they would change the entire world when they brought coffee from Arabia to Europe. The beverage already was part of social interactions, practices, and rituals in Mecca, but we got to meet its true potential in the European continent. During the XVII century, coffeehouses became the place where politicians, artists, writers, thinkers, philosophers, and scientists came to discuss their ideas. We really doubt that the era of Enlightenment and the French Revolution would have ever come to be if it wasn’t for our beloved drink (or at least it would have probably taken longer).
Thanks to coffee, Europeans sobered up. Before they used to drink mostly beer, so they were drunk half of the time. Coffee favored more stimulated debates and the creation of new ideas that would radically transform society. One of the best things about coffeehouses was that both rich and poor would mingle, as it was a space open for everyone.
Even though coffee consumed in Europe was largely produced by slaves in America, the French Revolution would deeply influence the American independence movements. In the United States, however, coffee would also symbolize patriotism.
Tea is British, so we drink coffee
After the Boston Tea Party in 1773, when American colonists raided British tea ships and threw crates of tea into the harbor, drinking coffee became a symbol of patriotism in America. John Adams actually wrote a letter to his wife in which he said that even though he loved tea, he would have to learn to embrace coffee, as drinking tea had become unpatriotic.
Just like in Europe, ideas of American Revolution thrived in the coffeehouses of Boston, Philadelphia and New York. There, coffee became a perfect companion to conspire against the British crown.
After the independence, coffee will also play a huge role during the Civil War. It split the country in two: the Union (north) and the Confederacy (south). As you must know, the Union came victorious. In some way, it was actually thanks to coffee. Both sides of the war craved caffeine, but the beans were a precious commodity in the south due to a blockage made by the Union. Because of that, northern soldiers were often more energized and active than southern ones. It also provided solace in the midst of so much violence and destruction. That way, having access to coffee clearly became an advantage in battles.
Over time, coffee went on to fuel the workers of the Industrial Revolution. Coffee has become such a huge part of our daily lives that it’s difficult to imagine a world without caffeine. At That Coffee Roasters, we know coffee hides hundreds of years of history and our Colombian predecessors' work, and we’re proud to preserve and honor that legacy. Want to learn more about coffee? Follow us on our social media and stay updated with our new content!
Source: Elite Daily, Foods that changed history
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| What would your life be like without coffee? |
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