Events in World History As Told In The Novel "A History Of the World In 6 Glasses" by Tom Standage
By AlexF
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10,000 BCE
Start of the Neolithic Revolution
The Neolithic Revolution was a great change in human kind where people gave up their ways of hunting and gathering to settle down and learn the ways of farming and domestication. Ancient societies learned to grown plants, and learned how to create new foods and drinks, such as beer, during this time. -
6000 BCE
The Emergence of Pottery
Around 6,000 BCE, pottery began to emerge in ancient societies. This was important because it was a new and reliable way of storing new foods and beverages (beer) during the Neolithic Period. -
4300 BCE
Emergence of Large Ancient Cities
Around 4,300 BCE, the first cities were constructed. The increase in population in groups during the Neolithic Revolution contributed to the need for larger settlements. The city of Uruk in Ancient Mesopotamia by around 3000 BCE was considered the largest city of the time. It was circled by a field of crops around 10 miles in radius. This provided a lot of ingredients and food to supply the large city. -
3400 BCE
First Forms of Writing
Ancient Mesopotamia began to form their own writing around 3400 BCE. This was to at first keep records of surplus's. The first written stories also began to emerge. Beer's importance in Mesopotamian culture was expressed in the Epic of Gilgamesh (one of the first written stories).It tells of the story of Gilgamesh (a Sumerian king)'s friend Enkidu. Enkidu started out as a wild man but then was introduced to beer and sophisticated foods to make him civilized. -
3150 BCE
Burial of King Scorpion I
King Scorpion was considered the first true king of Upper Egypt. In his tomb archaeologists found plaques of hieroglyphics telling of invasions which could have been some of the first writing in Ancient Egypt. Also jugs of wine were found. This is evidence of the emergence of wine.Considering kings could only be buried with its most valuable possessions, wine must've been very important in society. -
Period: 2737 BCE to 2697 BCE
Shen Nung's Reign
Shen Nung was the second noted emperor of China. His reign lasted from 2737 BCE- 2697 BCE. Shen Nung is credited with inventing the plow and agriculture and he introduced medicinal herbs. Stories also say that he introduced tea to China when he boiled water with tea leaves. -
2500 BCE
Construction of the Pyramids of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza began construction around 2500 BCE (starting with the Great Pyramid of Giza). The pyramids were built to be tombs for pharaohs that have passed. It was a very large project of the time, and they used a type of step technique to construct them. Workers were said to have been paid loaves of bread and jugs of beer. -
Period: 431 BCE to 404 BCE
The Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War was a civil war fought mainly among two city states- Sparta and Athens. Sparta became enraged after Athens stole money and built walls for themselves. This started war among the states. During the war, vineyards were big targets because they were very important to the culture of Greece and economy. By 404 BCE both Athens and Sparta were exhausted. Both city-states suffered damage to vineyards and major cities. It would take a long time for these city-states to recover. -
430 BCE
Herodotus Visits Mesopotamia
Trade along the Tigris and Euphrates river expanded in Mesopotamia due to the increasing enthusiasm of wine. Herodotus, a Greek historian, visited Mesopotamia and described what he saw. He described how the chief export was wine and the great value of it. When boats reached downstream, they were taken apart and sold due to the toughness of getting back upstream. However, they were sold for a tenth of their value due to the very high price of the wine. -
212 BCE
The Sack of Syracuse
The Sack of Syracuse was an attack on Greece by the Romans. Rome ended up winning and triumphantly brought home Greek statues of Gods. This showed the foundation of Rome's culture was greatly influenced by Greeks'. However, people questioned the civilized ways of the Greeks saying they are becoming uncivilized. However, Romans still respected the origins of their culture and wine became a bridge connecting the two cultures, even with constant fighting. -
114 BCE
Silk Road
The Silk Road was a major trade route that connected China with the outside world during the Han Dynasty. The Silk Road became a foundation to the Chinese economy during this time and hub of cultural diffusion. Important products included silk, paper, ceramics and tea. Tea was quite important to the Chinese culture due to its antiseptics properties, and it was safer to drink than water since it was boiled. -
476
The Fall Of Rome
In 395 CE, Theodosius I laid on his death bed and split the Roman Empire into two halves to make it easier to defend the Empire. Not long after, many attacks by foreign civilizations made the Western half very weak. In 476 CE, Odoacer a Germanic leader overthrew Romulus (Roman emperor) and took control of Western Rome. Although, it was a major loss for Rome, culture was preserved in both Eastern Rome and the Germans. The Germans found great pleasure in discovering wines made by the Romans. -
Jan 1, 1279
Mongols Rise to Power In China
The Song Dynasty was very prosperous until the Mongols took over. The Mongols allowed the Chinese people to keep there traditions, but most Mongols rejected Chinese culture. Even tea was rejected by Mongols. The Mongols had their own alcoholic beverage called koumiss. -
Jan 1, 1440
The Printing Press Is Invented
Around 1440, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. This was new to the Europeans but the idea was found in China some time earlier. The printing press was a very important invention due to the fact that it provided a new and easier way to write. New writings also began production such as tutorials. Popular tutorials of the time had to do with the distillation of wine. This led to the mass production of spirits. Spirits became a very wanted beverage due to high alcohol content. -
Oct 12, 1492
The Discovery of "The New World"
In 1492, a sailor Christopher Columbus and his crew landed in the Caribbean, but he was actually looking for the East Indies. He brings news of a new world back to Europe. Many countries began to establish trade routes, and also a large slave trade. One of the first plants that began to be grown in the New World was sugar cane. It was very important as an ingredient in new strong alcoholic drinks. Also Slaves soon became an important factor in the European economy because it provided free labor. -
Jun 1, 1511
Mecca's Ban On Coffee
Coffee originated in the Arab World around 1470. It made it's way all over Asia and eventually to Europe. Muslim scholars believed coffee was widely used as an alternative to alcohol since alcohol was banned long before. It was mainly used to ward of sleep for any certain reason such as religious ceremonies. However, when the word of coffee got to Mecca, controversy sparked. Mecca decided to ban coffee, believing that it had the same intoxicating effect as alcohol. -
Pope Clement VIII Gives His Position On Coffee
Coffee in Europe was used among anyone that wanted to have a non-alcoholic alternative drink that also stimulated the mind. However, since most of Europe was Catholic, they questioned the use of coffee since it had a connection with Islam. The people of Europe called upon Pope Clement VIII before his death to state his position. The story is that he loved the taste so much, he granted it to be okay to have. Coffee soon spread through out Europe and was a factor for the growth of the sciences. -
Establishment of First English Settlement in "The New World"
The Virginia Company of England set sail to the New World in hopes of finding a permanent settlement. When they landed they founded Jamestown which was the first permanent English settlement. The first settlers had many hardships- disease, starvation, and harsh winters. The settlers' main shipments from England was beer. However, there soon was a short so they had to resort to water. The settlers soon overcame the hardships and population grew. -
Publication of Novum Organum by Francis Bacon
In Novum Organum (or New Logic), Francis Bacon describes how he believes that science should be based off of experiments and observations instead of ancient texts. These ideas sparked the Scientific Revolution of Europe. Many scientists began adopting these ideas and staying up late nights just observing and experimenting. Scientists began using observation to find new things and ideas. Coffee became the drink of the scientists because it kept them up so sleep wasn't as important to them. -
Oliver Cromwell Becomes Lord Protector of England
Oliver Cromwell was a general who fought against the monarchy of Britain during the English civil war. He was also part of the group that voted to execute Charles I. After Charles' execution, he rose to power as Lord Protector of England. He set up an aggressive foreign policy. As a Puritan, he set up many coffee houses as good alternatives to alcoholic beverage taverns. Coffee houses were typically very pleasing to the eye and well lit. Popularity of coffee grew in England at this time. -
The Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London started out as a small fire in a baker's shop, but it was not stopped because the baker fled the seen. Strong winds ended up spreading the fire. Most buildings in London were made of wood so it provided good fuel for the fire. Normal procedures to stop the spread of fire was destroy houses in its path. Yet, the mayor thought it would be too costly. The result of the fire was about 80% of London's property was burnt to the ground including churches and coffee houses. -
Molasses Act
Since, rum was banned in France due to the high alcohol content, French began selling their molasses to the people of New England at a very low price. However, this meant that British molasses producers weren't getting as much business anymore. The British producers demanded government intervention. In response, the British government passed the Molasses Act of 1733 which taxed any foreign sugar cane and molasses (excluding Britain). This was one of the many acts that put strain on New England. -
The Boston Tea Party
When the Tea Act of 1773 was passed, a heavy tax was burdened upon New England, and the tea company created a monopoly within the tea trade. They thought this would be good for the colonists because it lowered the price of tea, but it upset the colonists instead. The colonists made business off of trade without interference from London, but the tea act undermined smugglers. In response to the act, a large gathering of people took control of a ship carrying tea, and dumped it all overboard. -
Period: to
The American Revolution
Britain after the Molasses Act, Many acts, including the Stamp Act and Tea Act, were passed to gain revenue instead of regulate trade. The high taxes upset New England but Britain did not let up. In response, organizations such as the Sons of Liberty banded together to boycott the items that were taxed. War broke out when Britain took action to stop any opposition. The opposition ended up winning and claimed independence from Britain under the Declaration of Independence. -
Period: to
The Opium Wars
The Opium War came along when Chinese banned the trade of a narcotic called opium from and to China. However, Britain still continued in the opium trade because Chinese smugglers paid very well. Britain used this money on tea. After many boycotts, finally China kicked Britain out of Canton. In response Britain declared war in the name of free trade (even though it was about opium). The war was short lived due to Britain's technology being more advanced. China was forced to bring free trade back. -
Period: to
The American Civil War
The American Civil War was a war fought between the south, who supported slavery and the north who was against it. The end of the war brought an end to slavery in the U.S. However there was still discrimination. The war also brought the country back together into a single market which became quite advanced. Britain began importing machinery from the U.S which was a big role change. The technology of America allowed mass production which became popular in the automotive business and coca-cola. -
First Advertisement of Coca-Cola
On May 29, 1886, in the Atlanta Journal, the first advertisement for the new drink coca-cola appeared. Coca-cola was a great alternative to alcoholic beverages. It appealed to both adults and kids and also had the satisfying taste of flavored soda-water. It did have some complications with the court of it targeting kids, but Coca-Cola only couldn't use children in advertisements. The use of caffeine was brought to a new level with Coca-Cola and became the great drink it is today. -
Passing Of the Pure Food And Drug Act
The main idea of this act was to prohibit mislabeling of sold products, and foods and products must be inspected every now and then by health inspectors. This act also affected coca-cola because of the caffeine. After a whole court case, it was decided that coca-cola was pure and safe to consume in moderation. -
The Wall Street Stock Market Crash of 1929
Due to many financial failures in government and businesses, the Wall Street stock market crashed. This sent the United States into the Great Depression. Many families lost everything and many businesses such as Coca-Cola began to struggle (some even went bankrupt). The United States struggled horribly until World War II which strengthened American morale and businesses grew. -
The Attack On Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941 Japan launched an attack on the U.S where they bombed a U.S army naval base, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This dragged the U.S into World War II. World War II sparked American morale and a strong business ethic which brought America out of the Great Depression. Coca-Cola during this time took advantage and made themselves the face of the U.S overseas. Millions of soldiers were served Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola represented patriotism and support for the war.
