Preview

A History of the World in 6 Glasses

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2482 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
A History of the World in 6 Glasses
A History of the World in 6 Glasses

By: Tom Standage

Essay by: Tiffany Dang

A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage is about six drinks (beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and coca-cola) and how they have affected the world in the past and the present. All of these drinks were invented in different eras, and the inventions of these drinks were affected by what had occurred in the time period. There were many historical eras that are covered in the book. Beginning with the Stone Age, which was the time period beer was created. The Stone Age is divided into three separate periods- Paleolithic Period, Mesolithic Period, and Neolithic Period- each period was based on the degree of sophistication in the fashioning and use of the tools. During this time period, people got there food and necessities by hunting and gathering. When beer was discovered/created Mesopotamians started farming rather than hunting and gathering. The second time period in which wine was created was the rise of the Greek and Roman empire. This time period was based on strong city-states, and when wine was discovered it became a part of Greek and Roman lifestyles. Also political classes were partially based on the type and quality of wine you would drink. Having the access to wine showed whether you were rich or poor, it showed your status in social life. The third time period was the Age of Exploration. During this time period spirits were discovered by the distillation (the process of purifying a liquid by boiling it and condensing its vapors) of wine. During the Age of Exploration explorers from around the world would sail on ships in search of new land. They searched for new land they could conquer for their country or to find trading routes as well. They also explored to spread their religion, to become famous (if they

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The elite would drink the most expensive and oldest wine they could find, while the lower classes drank a date-palm wine, which was much lower quality. This was because the further the wine had to travel to get to the buyer, the more borders it had to cross, therefore generating numerous taxes and tariffs. This was why only the most expensive wines were reserved for the most important and wealthy people. Wine played such a prominent role in society that is was considered a highly held talent to be able to distinguish a wine based on its taste…

    • 1777 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beer influenced the transition from hunting and gathering to agricultural based societies because it gave people a keen interest in grain storage. Beer was discovered as gruel, a mixture of water and grain, that was heated. It stimulated a dopaminergic release, causing the people that experienced the flavor to yearn for that rewarding sensation more. Standage noted that people could store a pound of grain a year, which caused the transition away from the savage – minded lifestyle even more appealing (13). Beer is a drink used to relax and celebrate, and seeing that the world functions through the ability to communicate, beer was extremely valuable to the people of the time period. In addition, it is possible that a trade-off of some sort was made possible, as some would convert to beer-making and exchange their craft for meat and berries. In the book, it was said that beer “was truly the defining drink of those first great civilizations,” and these various new abilities brought into play through beer makes this understandable (30). All of these positive and attractive new possibilities are ways that beer influenced the switch from the traditional hunt – and – gather mentality to a more society – oriented lifestyle with agriculture.…

    • 1918 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This history of beer in the ancient world tells us that these early civilizations, such as Ancient Egypt and Ancient Mesopotamia, were advanced to the point that they could enjoy such things. A society does not have time to enjoy simple pleasures when they have to go hunting every chance they get to supply their family with food. The history of beer also tells us that early civilizations valued unity, because the sharing of beer among friends promoted this idea.…

    • 4508 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    How did beer lead to the development of cities in Mesopotamia and Egypt? Grains grew widespread in the Fertile Crescent (The crescent shaped area which had an ideal climate and soil for growing plants and raising livestock, it stretches from Egypt, up the Mediterranean coast to Turkey, and then down again to the border between Iraq and Iran.) causing the unintentional discovery of beer. The Fertile Crescent’s extremely rich soil was suitable for the growth of cereal grains after the last ice age, which occurred around 10,000 BCE. Hunter-gatherers were drawn to the cereal grains and, the ability to keep the grains for long periods of time stimulated them to stay. If they hunter-gatherers could thrive of off the wild grain if they were willing to stay near it and harvest at its peak. After the hunter-gatherers had spent so much time collecting the grain they would have been reluctant to leave the grain that they had collected nor could they travel with it. For this reason hunter-gatherers began to settle on the land. These settlers soon found that the grain could be stockpiled for long periods of time without spoiling. The technology of these settlers was still in development so storage spaces were not usually watertight, and when the water got into the stockpile of the collected grains they started to sprout and acquired a sweet taste. Thus becoming malted grains. When gruel, which is made of boiled malted grains, was left to sit for a couple of days it undertakes an interesting transformation. It becomes a pleasantly intoxicating and slightly bubbly liquid, as the yeasts from the gruel turn it to alcohol. The cereal grains used to make beer was often used as an eatable currency, because everyone needed it. People traded and sold it, causing the development and expansion of cities.…

    • 2569 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    1. The “Land between 2 rivers” is the Tigris and Euphrates rivers located in Mesopotamia (in the Fertile Crescent). “The World’s first cities arose in Mesopotamia, ‘the land between the streams,’ the name given to the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers… (24, Standage)”, which meant that around this area most of the people were hardworking. The problem about these two rivers though is that they had unexpected flooding and there was little rain. This is why at the time, goods, instead of being offerings to gods were, “compulsory taxes that were consumed by the temple bureaucracy or traded for other goods and services (40, Standage).” This only arose though because of the unpredictable weather and nature of the Mesopotamian environment.…

    • 1021 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In order to prepare for AP World History, you are to read the non-fiction book A History of the World in Six Glasses. You will write short answers to a number of questions that will be turned in the first day of school.…

    • 6428 Words
    • 25 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Beer originated from Mesopotamians sometime around 10,000 BCE due to hunter and gathers collecting cereal grains, Cereal grains being a easily harvested food that lasts winter plenty was collected . Later on from 9,000 BCE to 4,000 BCE for some reason these nomadic people converted to a more civilized life style and began farming instead of gathering and created a substance known as gruel (made from cereal grains). if you let a thin gruel sit in the sun beer would be created , it was rumored that god gave man the gift of beer but the most realistic story is that farmer accidently left thin gruel in the sun and adored the taste . Beer became not only the drink for social meetings but also became a icon for religious meetings as well. Civilizations began to sprout up around beer…

    • 1428 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    world in 6 glasses

    • 1045 Words
    • 4 Pages

    One way beer could have influenced the transition from hunting and gathering to agricultural-based societies was that after the discovery of beer, beer began to increase. with the increase of beer, farming was successful taking time away from hunting and gathering. farmers eventually settled down in small areas around fertile crescents to create beer.…

    • 1045 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beer might have/had influenced the transition from hunting and gathering to agricultural-based societies. One way beer could have done this was that after the discovery of beer, the demand for beer began to increase. With increase demand for beer, farming would increase taking away time to hunt and gather for food. With less hunting and gathering, farmers eventually settled down in small areas around the Fertile Crescent to create beer.…

    • 2694 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Before 10,000 BCE the primary source of drink was water. When beer was discovered in Mesopotamia it was considered a step up from water. Water was…

    • 451 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    150,00 years ago, water had been the basic drink that mankind drank. Nomads would rely on water to survive, however, water had many pesticides and impurities that caused people to become sick and die. Beer was the first staple beverage in civilizations. It became important to all aspects of ancient life, social, religious, and economical. As civilizations began to brew beer it led them into a more modern world. Beer transitioned the nomadic life of early people to a stationary life. Beer was not invented though, it was simply a mistake that was waiting to he discovered. As nomads began to settle and harvest grain, it became a major staple in their diet. Storing was difficult to store in a way where it would stay safe for consumption. A popular porridge dish called gruel was a very common meal made with cereal grains. When left out, a chemical transformation would take place converting it into beer. Once discovered, beer was brewed constantly, improving the taste. Beer played a large part in the development of civilizations; it brought people together to share drinks and showed hospitality and familiarity. Beer was also very important in religion. This is because the process that converted gruel into beer was believed to be a gift from the gods. The finest and sweetest brews would be offered to gods as thanks. In Egypt, many people believed that Osiris, the god of the afterlife and agriculture, discovered beer. Therefore, beer was used as an offering in the afterlife and was buried with people when they died. As time went on, beer was not only a drink, but also a sign of being civilized and human. When beer was drunk, it showed that a person was sophisticated. As time progressed and people and civilizations became more advanced, beer was used as currency. Men, women, and children were granted amounts of beer as pay. Beer was also believed to cure…

    • 3533 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    3. What sources does the author use to gather his information on the use of beer? the author uses sources from the Stone Age period to gather information on the use of beer. He focuses on the transition that led to humanity shifting from hunting and gathering to agriculture. It also shows how the cultivation of grain led to fermentation…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    World In 6 Glasses

    • 2562 Words
    • 11 Pages

    As the world has progressed over the past thousands of years, many events and people have had an impact on where the world is today along with many other factors. Some of these factors are the drinks that have defined periods of humanity, yet they are often overlooked and go unnoticed in a typical classroom textbook. Many beverages have come into existence by mankind by accident and on purpose, but six specific types of drinks have left an imprint on the world: beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola. When these six beverages were discovered, the people of those times did not know the path it would lead the world down. Through the words of author Tom Standage in his book A History of the World in 6 Glasses, the reader is informed of…

    • 2562 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In A History Of The World In Six Glasses, the author Tom Standage addresses how six drinks have changed our history. Just as our history can be split into different ages through the materials we’ve used, we can also separate it into the six glasses that influenced our lives. Beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola are the most culturally impacted drinks. Even though all six beverages have equally benefited us, I think some are more important than others. In my opinion, coffee altered the way beverages were made. Coffee helped mankind by waking them up rather than intoxicating like beer or wine.…

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    1. From which advanced civilization/culture did Europeans get the “science” of how to make spirits?…

    • 2847 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Better Essays