M&M Timeline

By slkrebs
  • 300

    Mayan Culture

    To the Mayas, cocoa pods symbolized life and fertility... nothing could be more important! Stones from their palaces and temples revealed many carved pictures of cocoa pods.
  • 500

    Mayans

    Chocolate, derived from the seed of the cocoa tree, was used by the Maya Culture, as early as the Sixth Century AD. Maya called the cocoa tree cacahuaquchtl… "tree," and the word chocolate comes from the Maya word xocoatl which means bitter water.
  • Mar 22, 1200

    Aztec Culture

    The Aztecs attributed the creation of the cocoa plant to their god Quetzalcoatl who, descended from heaven on a beam of a morning star carrying a cocoa tree stolen from paradise. In both the Mayan and Aztec cultures cocoa was the basis for a thick, cold, unsweetened drink called xocoatl… believed to be a health elixir. Since sugar was unknown to the Aztecs, different spices were used to add flavor, even hot chili peppers and corn meal were used!
  • Mar 22, 1502

    Columbus Landed in Nicaragua

    On his fourth voyage to America, Columbus landed in what is now called Nicaragua. He was the first European to discover cocoa beans being used as currency, and to make a drink, as in the Aztec culture. Columbus, who was still searching for the route to India, still did not see the potential cocoa market that had fallen into his lap.
  • Jan 1, 1528

    Chocolate Arrives in Spain

    Cortès presented the Spainish King, Charles V with cocoa beans from the New World and the necessary tools for its preparation. And no doubt Cortès taught him how to make Chocolatl.
  • Apr 5, 1569

    Roman Church Takes a Serious Look at Chocolate

    Pope Pius V, who did not like chocolate, declared that drinking chocolate on Friday did not break The Fast.

  • Chocolate is Lauded in Literature

    The first book devoted entirely to chocolate, "Libro en el cual se trata del chocolate," came from Mexico.

  • America Discovers Chocolate

    Diligently forging the concept of Democracy, Americans take time out to discovers Chocolate.

  • The Cocoa Press is Invented

    The Press lead to reduced prices and helped to improve the quality of the beverage by squeezing out part of the cocoa butter. Drinking chocolate had a smooth consistency and a more pleasing taste.

  • Chocolate Literally Melts in Your Mouth

    Rodolphe Lindt of Berne, Switzerland, invented "conching", a means of heating and rolling chocolate to refine it. After chocolate has been conched for 72 hours and has more cocoa butter added to it, chocolate becomes "fondant" and it melts in your mouth!

  • World War II

    The U.S. government recognized chocolate's role in the Allied Armed Forces. It allocated valuable shipping space for the importation of cocoa beans which would give many weary soldiers the strength to carry. Today, the U.S. Army D-rations include three 4-ounce chocolate bars. Chocolate has even been taken into space as part of the diet of U.S. astronauts.