American History Essay: The Role of Tea and Coffee in Colonial America

This essay examines the historical significance of tea and coffee in colonial America, highlighting their role in shaping social customs, economic practices, and cultural identity. Initially, tea was more prevalent among the upper class, while coffee gained popularity later. The essay discusses the evolution of tea and coffee consumption, the associated utensils, and the impact of events like the Boston Tea Party. It also explores how these beverages facilitated social gatherings and influenced the development of institutions like colonial coffeehouses. The essay references the works of various authors, including Regelski et al., Gade, Wees, and Cluesheet.com, to support its analysis of the beverages' influence on American history and culture.

Running head: AMERICAN HISTORY
American Cultural Studies
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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The essay illustrated that a community is complicit with power and capital and
effectively reshapes our personal understandings of the connections between various existing
dimensions. Joseph elucidated a complex relationship between capitalism and a community. The
essay portrayed culturalization and localization of capitalism as positive development approaches
that created communal resistance or local opportunities. However, it also claimed that capitalism
did not constitute economic inequalities among communities. Thus, the findings from the essay
suggest that community not only assists power and capital to flow, it also plays an essential part
in displacing the flows. The assignment would try to shed light on the history of tea and coffee in
colonial America and its role in modifying the communities.
Coffee is considered as a staple in the modern American society. The current coffee
market in the United States is almost worth a $19 billion per year. However, coffee was less
available and not enjoyed as much as tea, its caffeine counterpart tea, in colonial America.
Eventually coffee reached Europe in the sixteenth century. Prior to the importation of tea by
Dutch traders to Europe around 1610, Westerners were virtually unaware of its existence. Owing
to the expense and scarcity of the beverage, it was served by the costly paraphernalia.
Consumption of tea was considered as a form of leisure and was restricted to the upper
community. The expense made social tea drinking a prestigious custom (Regelski et al. 2017).
Tea was found to have limited usage in America, showing consistency with the communities in
England during the early 1700s. Wine, beer and ale were considered as fairly common drinks
than tea.
These beverages were first valued due to curative powers. Gradually the stimulating
brews began to be adopted by colonial Americans and led to the development of a number of
important social institutions, such as colonial coffeehouses and tea gardens. People began to

2AMERICAN HISTORY
value the utensils that were used in their preparation. Brewing and serving tea was regarded as a
gracious art and a matter of sociability. It acted as a trigger for social and formal gatherings. A
well-equipped tea table would display teapots, slop bowls, milk or cream containers, tea and
sugar canisters, teaspoons, tongs, cups and saucers (Gade 2017). The utensils were integral to the
tea ceremony. Boston, Philadelphia and New York were considered as the epicenter for
production of silver teapots. These pots mainly appeared on the tables of the affluent Americans.
The silver teapots appeared polygonal, round or octagonal. The Continental and English styles
were emulated by American silversmiths (Wees 2017). The Coffee pots were tapered and tall
and contained curved pouring spout. Wooden handles were present to protect the hands of the
pourer from the heat-conducting metals used in the pots. Variations such as urn-shapes in the
pots emerged during the Rococo period and late 18th century. Chocolate was predicted to become
a favorite beverage after tea and coffee post the Boston tea party by Thomas Jefferson
(Cluesheet.com 2017). This resulted in an increase in demand for chocolate pots that had covers
made up of removable or hinged finials that accomodated a molinet. A preference for
neoclassical design led to the production of oval or drum shaped pots.
Following impose on tea tax, consumption of herbal infusions or tea smuggling became
common among dissatisfied colonists. Several demonstrations were held to express the outrage.
However, dissolution of all political hostilities reunited the community members at the tea table
(Wees 2017). Thus, it can be stated that a community not only functions by power and
capitalism, but are globally connected by the beverages such as tea and coffee. They shaped the
history and culture of colonial America by helping people connect with each other.

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References
Cluesheet.com. 2017. "Chapter XII: INTRODUCTION OF COFFEE INTO NORTH AMERICA
-- All About Coffee, By William H. Ukers". Cluesheet.Com. http://cluesheet.com/All-About-
Coffee-XII.htm.
Gade, Carla. 2017. "Taking Tea In Colonial America". Colonialquills.Blogspot.In.
http://colonialquills.blogspot.in/2015/10/taking-tea-in-colonial-america.html.
Regelski, Christina, Zachary Brown, Julia Cohn, Julia Cohn, Rhae Barnes, Serena Covkin, and
Rhae Barnes et al. 2017. "The Revolution Of American Drinking - US History Scene". US
History Scene. http://ushistoryscene.com/article/american-drinking/.
Wees, Author:. 2017. "Coffee, Tea, And Chocolate In Early Colonial America | Essay |
Heilbrunn Timeline Of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum Of Art". The Met’S Heilbrunn
Timeline Of Art History. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/coff/hd_coff.htm.

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Appendix 1

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Appendix 2