Almost 70% of Americans drink more than two cups of coffee a day, according to one Reuters study. In fact, you may even be drinking one as you read this. But this hot beverage of liquid gold is more than just our early morning necessity. Coffee and its culture have never been far from the major movements of the world, bearing witness to some of the most powerful and influential changes in human history from the beginning of global trade to politics unrest and even modern pop culture.
The Origin of Coffee
How do you take your coffee?
Most of us would say cream or sugar, but in the late 18th century, second president of the United States John Adams took his coffee with a sprinkle of defiance. Following the riotous and symbolic events of the Boston Tea Party, many early Americans replaced traditional tea drinking with strong coffee, a disrespectful affront to Great Britain, and a subtle yet powerful statement against imperial rule. Though this history of the United States may stand out to Americans, this was far from the beginning of both political resistance and underlying metaphors of coffee drinking.
Though many cultures claim to have been the “first” drinkers of coffee, this claim is hard to prove. The earliest found evidence of coffee drinking, in fact, originates from Yemen in the 15th century. Aligning its origins in the Middle Eastern part of the world, the English word coffee is actually derivative of an Arabic word used to describe very strong wine. It would be a century before European traders got a taste for coffee, but once Parisians, Venetians, and of course, the Dutch got their hands on a piping hot cup of Joe, coffee culture would never be the same again. The start of early global trade meant more than the exchange of goods and spices, it sparked sharing of culture, art, religion, and philosophy; with coffee at the forefront.
Today, there are almost 30,000 open Starbucks locations with about 50% in the United States alone, serving up frappes, espresso shots, and hot cocoas. Have we shaped coffee culture, or has coffee culture shaped us?
