Timeline: Chocolate

Jan 19, 1500

Choclate

People in Central America begin to drink chocolate

Jan 19, 1500

Choclate

The Aztecs started to drink chocolate. Then the Spanish brought chocolate to Spain. Later chocolate drinking spreads to other parts of Europe.

Jan 22, 1502

Christopher Columbus introduced the cocoa bean to Spain. In Spain the bean was crushed and mixed with sugar and spices and became a popular drink.

Jan 22, 1600

Chocolate went further when a coffeehouse in London began using chocolate to make the very first chocolate cakes and cookies.

Jan 22, 1657

French man opened a shop in London selling both the hot chocolate and solid chocolate to be made into a beverage.

Jan 20, 1665

Choclate

A chocolate house opens in England where people went to buy a glass of chocolate

Jan 20, 1765

Chocolate

The first chocolate factory opened in America.

Jan 20, 1795

Chocolate

Back then steam engines were used to grind cocoa beans making chocolate cheaper.

Jan 20, 1847

Choclate

In 1847 the first chocolate bar was made

Jan 22, 1851

Choclate

Prince Albert's Exposition in London was the first time that Americans were introduced to bonbons, chocolate creams, hand candies (called "boiled sweets"), and caramels.

Jan 22, 1861

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Richard Cadbury created the first known heart-shaped candy box for Valentine's Day.

Jan 22, 1876

Daniel Peter of Switzerland added dried milk to the process of making chocolate.

Jan 22, 1876

Rodolfe Lindt invents machine where the addition of cocoa butter to the cocoa mass followed by a prolonged kneading process produced a glossy, velvety smooth chocolate

Jan 22, 1879

Choclate

Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé joined together to form the Nestlé Company and Rodolphe Lindt of Berne, Switzerland, produced a more smooth and creamy chocolate that melted on you tongue.