What Is The Impact Of Coffee And Tea Refluence On Medieval Western Europe?

Without having to travel more than a few miles in an urban city of today, one can taste, smell, and experience many of the edible remnants left behind by hundreds of years of culture that preceded present day. There is rich history to be found in the items that we consume. Two of these refreshments are coffee and tea, which both have similar roots and played a heavy hand during specific golden ages. In contrast, the movements they sparked and the remaining resulting impacts diverge.

Trade was the starting event that changed medieval Western Europe for the better and greatly influenced the world today. The Crusades brought on the Reformation, leading to an array of new and intriguing products being introduced from faraway lands. Spices were

At the time of the Tang dynasty, China was the “… largest, wealthiest, and most populous empire in the world” (179). The Silk Road and sea trade routes were prosperous and teeming with business and goods. This helped the widespread embracing of the custom of drinking tea. Similarly, the trade brought on by tea also aided Great Britain into becoming an empire of the likes that the world had never seen. “At its height, it encompassed a fifth of the world’s surface and a quarter of the population” (175). Britain set up new colonies in Canada, India, Australia, and New Zealand, allowing it to emerge “as the first global superpower…” (176). Coffee also was present during London’s golden age. It united various social groups since most “coffeehouses became associated with specific trades, acting as meeting places where actors, musicians, or sailors could go if they were looking for work (152).” These centers were a place where books could be bought and the London penny post was established in 1680. “Regulars… could pop in once or twice a day, drink a dish of coffee, hear the latest news, and check to see if there was any new mail for them (153).” Coffeehouses began to serve as places to share information, which specifically led to them becoming intellectual

Great Britain was gaining new territories while France was experiencing rational inquiry. Coffee promoted the freedom of thought, which introduced a new found skepticism. It seemed appropriate and simply logical to question everything, including those in positions of power. As the government began exercising stricter laws, French citizens began innovating ways to spread knowledge. “A bureaucratic system of censorship … led to the emergence of handwritten newsletters of Paris gossip (168).” These bulletins were written and rewritten by dozens of individuals and sent to subscribers. “Since they were not printed, they did not need government approval (168).” However, patrons did have to be wary of the words spoken since coffeehouses were teeming with government spies. Though France was making knowledgeable revolutionary bounds, “progress in the social and political spheres had been hindered (169).” Unlike the French, the type of change England experienced was based on a tangible wealth. “The Industrial Revolution, which started with textile manufacturing… was the replacement of skilled human laborers by tireless, accurate machines (199).” These water and steam powered machines were an advantageous step up on manufacturing. Tea was the basis of this process. Since the machinery was attended to by human power, “tea kept workers alert on long and