A history of the world in 6 glasses chapter summaries

by Tom Standage

Thirst is deadlier than hunger. Deprived of food, you might survive for a scant weeks, but deprived of liquid refreshment, you would be successful to last more than a few days. Only breathing matters more. Tens of thousands of years ago, early humans foraging in small bands had to remain near rivers, springs and lakes in order to make certain an adequate supply of fresh water, since storing or carrying it was impractical. The availability of water constrained and guided mankind’s progress. Drinks have continued to shape human history ever since. Only in the past ten thousand years or so have new drinks emerged to challenge the preeminence of fluid. These drinks do not occur naturally in any quantity, but must be made deliberately. As well as offering safer alternatives to contaminated, disease-ridden water supplies in human settlements, these recent drinks have taken on a variety of roles. Many of them have been used as currencies, in religious rites, as political symbols, or as sources of philosophical and artistic inspiration. Some have served to showcase the power and status of the elite, and others to subjugate or appease the downtrodden. Drinks have been used to ce

a history of the world in 6 glasses chapter summaries

A History of the World in 6 Glasses Summary & Research Guide

“A History of the Earth in Six Glasses” by Tom Standage is a non-fiction operate that traces the history of the six most important drinks that mankind discovered, developed and enjoyed throughout known history. These drinks often came at crucial times in history or heralded in new eras and became symbols of the times or beliefs and emotions of the nations that they impacted.

Fifty-thousand years ago, hunter/gatherers lived nomadic lifestyles migrating to locations where they could hunt their prey and gather their fruit and nuts. A shift occurred about 12,000 years ago toward farming. Why this change occurred is not clear but it caused the tribes to forsake their nomadic lifestyles in favor of a settled and stationary existence. Once they stayed in one place, they discovered some unusual qualities about the grains they grew. Grains became sweet when soaked in water and when left exposed, they developed a fizzy, intoxicating quality. The farmers developed a pleasing liquid from their grains that they added to their soups and stews. Over time, the farmers drank the liquid instead of adding it to their soup. They had developed

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Overall Summary

A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage traces six diverse beverages—beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea and Coca-Cola. By doing so he offers an overview of human history that emphasizes the continuities in our approach to drinks and drinking as successfully as changes and discoveries linked with them.

Beer was discovered in Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. It was used as a imbibe, currency, and religious offering. Beer has always been social; raising your glass to someone is an old tradition. Beer played a ro

A History of the World in 6 Glasses Summary and Review

About one century later, another groundbreaking drink emerged, this time in the United States: soda.

The British scientist and clergyman Joseph Priestley was the first to invent carbonized soda, after he discovered the process of dissolving gas into water.

People initially used Priestley’s carbonated drink for medicinal purposes, as it was similar to natural spring water. In the United States, however, people started drinking it for its taste.

Soda soon became widely regarded as a refreshing drink, and its popularity grew even more after the introduction of the bottling process, developed in 1805 by Benjamin Silliman, a chemistry professor at Yale University. And in 1909, a bottled soda seller named Joseph Hawkins figured out how to use fountains to dispense soda directly to customers.

Americans also improved the taste of soda by adding syrups made from fruits to the drink. And one American soon came up with the most famous soda of them all: Coca-Cola.

John Pemberton, a pharmacist from the state of Georgia, invented Coca-Cola by experimenting with coca, an ingredient he’d read about in medical journals. He created a

A History of the World in 6 Glasses - Part 4: Coffee in the Age of Reason Summary & Analysis

Summary

The liveliness of rational inquiry borne of the Scientific Revolution spread into Western thought resulting in a movement known as the Enlightenment. Great minds turned from the wisdom of the ancients toward the possibility of new ideas and approaches. Old World limitations were expanded and former authorities for philosophy, politics and religion were exchanged for tolerance, criticism and freedom of thought. A new drink called coffee was introduced in the 17th century and became popular because it was thought to provide the mind with sharpness and clarity. It became the favorite beverage of European scientists and intellectuals. Coffee was a safe alternative to alcohol and an antidote for inebriation. It symbolized the revolt against the Old Nature. Wine, beer and whiskey had been discovered by the ancients. Coffee belonged to the new world.

Coffee originated in the Arab...

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