Six Drinks That Have Changed the World

A History of the World in 6 Glasses is a creative, nonfiction take on the impact that six beverages had on history written by Tom Standage. In “A History of the World in 6 Glasses” essay we discuss how the book takes the reader on a journey through time to show the history of mankind through the lens of drinks and to show how humanity has been affected by drinks. In this book, Standage uses six drinks—beer, wine, hard liquor, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola—to encapsulate key periods of the past. Each drink that is associated with each period acts as a symbol for the economic, political, and cultural movements that shaped and influenced the period. From his book, Standage wants the readers to learn the major point that is to show the profound influence of certain drinks on the course of history. The thesis of the novel is that through history certain specialty beverages have affected more than just the diet of people and changed political aspects, economic standings, religious ceremonies and social views throughout human history. The author’s main thesis in setting the book is that drinks have shaped human history ever since early humans were forced to live by rivers, springs, and lakes to ensure an adequate supply of fresh water. The author’s main thesis in setting up this book is that. The fluids that are mentioned in the book are vital because each one played a role in many areas of history and they are a crucial part of creating a certain period of history.

Tom Standage is a New York Times bestselling author who has written a total of six historical novels, including An Edible History of Humanity, Writing in the Wall, The Victorian Internet, Go Figure, and Seriously Curious. He’s also a journalist and graduated from Oxford University for engineering and computer science in England. He now works for The Economist as a digital editor on posts about science and technology. Standage wrote this book in 2005 and published it in 2009.

, it led to the adoption of farming and first written documents. Wine brought about commercial farming and promoted Greek ideas, and spirits were the driving force behind the sugar, slave trade and the American Revolution. They were also the staples of everyday life. Because cereal grains were so plentiful, drinking beer became ubiquitous in Egypt and Mesopotamia and even developed as a form of currency. And although the wine was first exclusively a drink for the higher class, it soon became widely available. And everyone on the social pyramid drank it. Beer is simpler than expected. Ancient Africans adopted beer as a social, religious, and economic norm. Beer was discovered accidentally due to the popularization of grains. Fitting the circumstances, beer didn’t have to be refrigerated. Beer led to the first permanent settlements, changing the nomadic rhythm. The improvement of beer followed afterward to make it stronger. Variations of the drink are now used for different occasions. Beer was formed from the not so popular gruel. Beer is known as a social drink made way for a large vessel like jars to spread. They would share drinks and use straws. Some beer myths brought about the thought that gods gifted beer to humans. The discovery of beer is linked to the growth of the first civilizations. Beer was used in religious ceremonies and rituals. A theory is that beer made way for farming. The beer had become safer to drink than water at the time. Knowing and having beer was a distinction between civilized and savage. Beer even ties into the origins of writing itself. Beer was always written alongside bread. Beer became currency often used for bonus payments. Even the workers who built the pyramids were paid in beer and beer represented wealth. Beer was used as a medical substance. The discovery of beer happened around 10000 BCE. The hunter-gatherers, located in the Fertile Crescent, collected cereal grains because they could be stored for several months if kept dry and safe. The storage of grains made it harder to have a nomadic lifestyle; therefore the people started staying in one place. They would try to make watertight storage areas, however, the water did eventually get into them. Beer in Mesopotamia and Egypt Standage begins by discussing the role beer played in the world’s most ancient civilizations. After nomadic tribes began settling into a settled, agricultural lifestyle, they cultivated wheat and barley for bread. They soon discovered that, if left exposed, these grains took on an intoxicating quality. Civilizations such as Mesopotamia and Egypt experimented with this fermentation process, developing many types of beer and ale, some to drink in social settings, some used for religious rituals. Beer was used as a form of currency in both cultures, and both believed beer was a gift from the gods. In this section, Standage establishes alcohol’s key importance in the building of new, settled communities, showing how beer held social, religious, and economic significance in the cradle of civilization. Wine in Greece and Rome Wine has existed since the Neolithic period but became more accessible to common people after vineyards made wine easier to produce and therefore lower in cost. The Greeks believed the wine illuminated truth and could accurately test a person’s character and reveal their flaws. Greece’s cultural influence spread the practice of drinking wine far beyond its borders, duly affecting the emerging empire of Rome. Roman farmers improved Greek vineyard practices, and wine was easily available to all social classes, with class defined by the quality of the wine drunk. Wine is mentioned extensively in Roman literature and was vital to religious ceremonies, including Christian communion. Muslims were forbidden from alcohol, primarily because it separated them from Christians. As the Roman Empire disintegrated, trade routes slowed. The wine was still grown in southern Europe, where the climate was hospitable, but beer became the drink of choice in cold Northern Europe, a division that still exists today. Like other drinks, the wine was thought to have a supernatural effect on the human body. At a celebration, a large quantity of wine was served which was different than the usual beer and straw. It was expensive and difficult to transport. The wine had religious uses. The invention of drinks is sometimes unknown. Wine dates back to Bible times. Wine became a representation of a wealthy, lavish lifestyle. Wine slowly expanded its reach even though it was still pricey. The wine was known as excellent beer. As wine became more popular, industrial farming increased. Vines were favored over grain in Greece. The type of wine drunk became a deciding factor of status. The way you drink wine also decides this. The less the strength, meaning the more mixture with water, was the more formal way to drink. The wine was drunk from a shallow bowl, not a vessel. Socrates used wine to further his work of philosophy, inspecting people under the influence. The personality either anger, live, pride, ignorance, greed, and confidence. Wine engulfed Greek culture. The wine was transported to Rome. Romans regarded wine as a universal staple. The civilized manner of drinking wine still applicable. Delicious Roman wine drank at feasts. Leaders took advantage of wines “special powers” by using it for medical purposes. All types of Roman citizens and classes drank wine. The price range of wine was great in Rome to show wealth. Though it didn’t get rid of the top elitists, it evened out the playing field. Wine continued to be spread throughout Europe because of religious purposes. A long-time later, the distillation of drinks gave way to a new range of beverages. This technique was nothing new and recently used for wine in the 18th century and even was used in experiments. This makes the wine stronger. Knowing the distillation technique was known as wisdom. Distillation used as a medical cure even stronger. Even distilled beer could intoxicate quickly. Slavery of black people began as they were not considered fully human. The next chapter begins in the setting of the 1400s. While trying to explore new lands via ship, Europeans came across the Americas, which happened to have quite an abundance of sugarcane. Civilizations mixed distillation and this new world resource to make rum. Rum was known to be stronger than wine and beer. Rum was popularized in settlements of British colonies in North America. Rum might’ve played a big role in the American revolution. After 300 years, rum was sold secretly on the black market. Britain thought of the idea to tax higher on items that made rum including molasses and sugar. People were enraged and started riots against the taxing on rum ingredients. The tax crisis was one of the largest starting points for the American revolution. Once the revolution was over, rum lost its popularity and was replaced with drinks like whiskey and bourbon, which are still to this day very popular drinks in America. One of the reasons for this is because too much elitism is associated with drinks such as wine.

Spirits were consumed by slaves and European colonists alike, although they were mainly used for getting drunk. Spirits in the Colonial Period During the Islamic Golden Age, scientists discovered a new wine distillation technique that led to the creation of hard liquor. In Britain, the knowledge of spirits allowed British sailors to have an advantage over French sailors. The British sailors were given grog, a spirit mixed with lime juice. This drink contained vitamin C, which made the sailors resistant to scurvy. On the other hand, the French sailors were given a different type of drink that contained no vitamin C. They were not protected from the disease. Spirits helped build and shape America through trade. Rum played a big role in the triangular trade between Africa, Europe, and North America. By trading rum, money and goods were brought into the country. “Coffee in the Age of Reason” Coffee became known as the “antithesis of alcohol” because unlike alcohol, it allowed people to stay alert. It also aided people in thinking clearly. Coffee was the first true “global” beverage because it was allowed to be consumed by people of all religions. Unlike beer and spirits, Muslims were allowed to drink coffee. By the 15th century, distilled wine, sometimes known as “aqua vitae” or “water of life” was purely a pleasure drink. Through European exploration, distilled wine spread to Africa and the Americas, where the slave trade was booming. Slaves were often exchanged for alcohol. Distilled alcohol required sugar, and new alcohol was born out of combining sugarcane byproducts: rum. Rum quickly became the most popular currency on the African coast. American colonists relied on imported wine and brandy until rum production began and thrived. England enacted taxes designed to protect English sugar producers from the competition with colonial producers, something which contributed to the American Revolution. After America became its nation, westward migration began and exchanged rum for whiskey. Colonists and settlers plied Native Americans with alcohol to weaken their ranks and ultimately take over their ancestral lands. In this section, Standage shows how alcohol could be a source for monumental change, such as revolutions, but also be the cause of human subjugation. Coffee in the Age of Reason The 17th century was an age of enlightenment, critical thought, and rational inquiry. Coffee was immensely popular, as it was thought to sharpen the mind. Coffee had been used in the Middle East for hundreds of years but took time to become a favorite drink in Europe. Coffee shops emerged as centers for political debate and intellectual discussion. Unlike inns and pubs, these discussions were not dulled by intoxication or drunkenness. Coffee shops were the perfect place for revolutions to be planned, and indeed, the French Revolution was launched from a Parisian coffee shop. Coffee’s particular properties and non-alcoholic nature led to its particular importance and influence in 17th-century political movements. While coffee has become commercialized, coffee shops are still a center of social activity. Caffeine sharpens the mind and promotes alertness, so it makes sense that it was served in forums for academic discussion about politics, philosophy, literature, and business. Intellectuals exchanged ideas in coffeehouses. The enlightenment movement began in the 1600s. It represented empiricism, freedom of speech, and studies of classical texts. The movement revolves around the drink coffee. Because Muslims can’t drink alcohol, coffee was heavily consumed before enlightenment began. During the Middle Ages, coffee made its way to Europe through Muslim trading networks. Coffees strength and helpfulness were useful to enlightenment. Coffeehouses sprang up first in England. They were open to men and women who could discuss topics such as art politics and philosophy. A full house of arguments and debates. Many groundbreaking discoveries happened in coffeehouses scientific and revolutionary. Coffee began the French Revolution. Coffee quickly became the drink of intellect and industry being known to sharpen the mind. Taverns were replaced with a more sophisticated meeting place, the coffeehouse. These “led to the establishment of scientific societies and financial institutions, the founding of newspapers, and provided fertile ground for revolutionary thought.” Once established as England's national drink, tea imports from first China and India led to massive trade. The book describes the power of the British East India Company, which “generated more revenue than the British government and ruled over far more people,” wielding more power than any other corporation in history. This imbalance of power had an enormous effect on British foreign policy, and led to the independence of the U.S. Coffee is still an extremely popular drink that is still sold in coffeehouses and drank to give energy. While coffee promoted innovation, philosophy, and science, tea gave a great boost in the field of industry.

Tea originated in Asia before spreading to Europe hundreds of years later. Tea was made by hand. Poems were written and tea slowly become a huge part of British culture. Chinese works show mentions of tea for healing superpowers. During the 1500s, tea reached Europe and was still less sophisticated than China. Europe became fond of tea, specifically, Britain over the next 200 years. Tea and the British Empire Tea was the consummate drink of the British Empire, consumed by the king and his servants alike. Originally brought to England from China in the early 16th century, tea was once a luxury item, but strong trade routes and England’s growing empire lessened the costs. Tea was the most popular drink in Britain during the industrial revolution. Britain depended heavily on China for its supply of tea which leads to the opium wars during the 1830s. This made sure there was a fair trade between the mass amounts of tea being distributed and opium. Tea drinking was established and it’s still very popular in Britain and other countries within the British Empire including Australia, New Zealand, and India. Indian slaves made tea cheaper than in China. With its antibacterial properties, tea improved Great Britain's Health and stimulated commerce, allowing the nation to sail ahead of all the other countries during the industrial revolution. Similarly, Coca-Cola strengthened America’s economy. It was successful internationally and became a global product, helped the U.S. become a superpower and promoted democracy and capitalism. Like most of the drinks discussed in this novel, Coca-Cola was originally devised as a medical drink. More than any other product, Coca-Cola has stood as the symbol of America's “vibrant consumer capitalism.” [4] Rather than shrink at the challenge, Coca-Cola took full advantage of the challenging times it found itself in, gaining ground through the depression, and then traveling alongside our soldiers into WWII, becoming a global phenomenon. Coke was advertised heavily. Coke represented capitalism, consumerism, and industrialism. It was a gaseous soda water drink. Its logo was the face of the big company. They came in distinctive glass bottles. It represented American patriotism and war. Political affairs went hand and hand with cola. It’s an international drink. Coca-Cola climbed the ladder to become the most popular drink of the 20th century. At first, Coca-Cola soda was only available in small quantities in America. John Pemberton is responsible for making and selling the first cola containing parts of both cacao leaves and kola seeds. Coca-Cola became used as medicine and was popularized this way. In 1890s ass chandler made the transfer to a regular beverage. Coke had lasted popularity even among the Pepsi competition and the Great Depression. Coca-Cola spread like wildfire around the world because of the newly opened coal plants being planted in Africa, Asia, and Europe. They did this to give each American soldier a bottle while at WWII. During the Cold War, the other superpower the Soviet Union banned Coca-Cola labeling it as coca colonization for 40 years. After the fall of the USSR, there was no stopping cola. Coke belongs in the American century. The fight for water has started wars. People don't take advantage of the perfectly fine tap water they have. Colonies have settled near rivers. Dams and wells are vital. Limitation of resources drives competition. It’s not all about taste. Some of the drinks are no longer available. Drinks are catered to or associated with a specific type of person. Science is used to make drinks and labs have spent years perfecting the variety of drinks. Alcohol is about enjoyment not about health.

In an analysis, the book goes into detail that ties into the author’s argument. Standage favors the subject written about and offers no information or analysis to disprove the thesis of the novel. It teaches readers that drinks have had a greater impact on history than normally recognized. It’s ironic that a drink once so valuable is now one of the most common forms of alcohol to drink. The fluids are “vital” because, without them, humans wouldn't have accomplished so much. Fluids allowed people to farm, think, trade, and survive. What was the author’s point of view? He believes Coca-Cola is taking over. What significance did you learn from the book? It teaches us about not taking things for granted. It is more important than the students to communicate the ideas and themes that the author is trying to present. Seminars where ideas are exchanged and knowledge are gained in a forum are a component of the course. This is shown in the book. Evidence is on the pages shown. This is my interpretation of the book. He uses comparison and cause & effects of events and drinks about changes made to beverages. In comparison with the beer, wine is different. The argument/point of view of the author is that he gets it. Historically, the events in the book are written in chronological order to fit with each drink that represented the corresponding period. The major points of the book are when, where, why and how each beverage became important and what effect it had on world history. Tom is answering why and how are these fluids vital. All of these drinks were invented in different eras.

Continuing, the themes are strong. It paints a picture of the time they lived in. Almost all of the drinks discussed in this book have some religious significance. Ancient civilizations attributed the discovery of beer and wine to their gods, which made them fitting religious tributes. Given than beer and wine made water nutritious and safe to drink, not to mention the pleasure of gentle intoxication, it is easy to see why people from Mesopotamia to Ancient Greece thought that alcohol was a gift from the gods. The use of beer as a religious offering played a key part in the development of civilization, as Standage explains. Storing surplus grain and beer in communal buildings. The consequences of the agricultural revolution was a turning point. Civilizations began focusing on making surpluses rather than producing new food and crafts. They became more modern. The archaeological evidence that supports the cultivation, harvesting, storage, and processing of cereal. The direction the author took the book was informative. I’m always relating to the claim.

I like it. It was a memorable read. The book was well written. What were the sources of information in the book? There were lots of them. Are the sources believable? Even though some sources are old, they are still credible to the time. How do you react to him? I mostly agree with his viewpoint. Would you recommend the book to others? I would. Why? It’s easy to understand and uses main points such as drinks to focus ideas around instead of giving a full story of every event in world history. I am confident that most students of history will enjoy reading. The book was selected for its readability and its treatment of the interactions of societies around the world over time.

As a critique, the themes of the book being, are solid. In the book's defense, it was good. This makes sense because of the words written in the book. Regarding the chapter, it was my favorite. In general, it wasn’t too emotional. Historically, it was accurate. All evidence is relevant to his claim. This is indicating that he meant that. The length of the book is tolerable. The greater majority of the book comes from facts rather than ideas but they support the argument that the author is trying to make. He addresses every detail specifically and the writing indicates a deep understanding of history. His line of reasoning is good. The book is beyond creative. The content of this book shows the importance of history. According to the knowledge of the author, he knows a lot. The book traces cultures over time and examines human interactions.

All in all, after an in-depth analysis of the book, A History of the World in 6 Glasses is very useful and beneficial to the AP World History curriculum. It has a profound impact on culture and society. Throughout their eight hundred year existence, beverages have changed the way people live and the way people view the world. To understand this impact, it is first necessary to understand the history and major modifications of beverages. Consequently, this paper introduces the history of beverages from inception to the modern-day. Then, it attempts to address the impact the invention has had on the perception of time, the economy, modern society.

In conclusion, A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage is about six drinks (beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and coca-cola) and how they have affected the world in the past and the present. Human history has been an object of interest for as long as anyone can remember, and it is remarkable how much history a single household object can reveal. These six beverages-beer, wine, spirits, tea, coffee, cola-differ in composition, origin, use, and popularity, but all of them had a deep impact on society. Beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola all continue to be consumed today, despite their differences in origins and background. While beer, wine, and spirits served as catalysts for the ancient civilizations and promoted development and expansion during the early first millennium, coffee, tea and cola helped advance countries of the modern world.

Works Cited

• Standage, Tom. A History of the World in Six Glasses. Atlantic Books, 2007.
• “Tom Standage - Economist.” The Economist, The Economist Newspaper, mediadirectory.economist.com/people/tom-standage/.
• “Tom Standage (Author of A History of the World in 6 Glasses).” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/author/show/2636.Tom_Standage.