Similarities In A History Of The World In 6 Glasses

In A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage, the similarities and differences in the economic and political role of drinks such as spirits and coffee between the Colonial Period and the Age of Reason are presented. Economic similarities between these periods include that spirits and coffee were agriculturally produced and traded between areas for items and that both of these drinks slowly promoted the growth of capitalism. An economic difference is a trade of spirits being used as slave currency and encouraging slavery while coffee promoted equality between different economic classes. Political similarities include spirits and coffee shifting political power and the drinks’ role in challenging the government. A political difference

This displays the first economic similarity. To explain, spirits played a huge role in gathering support for George Washington in an election in the House of Burgesses. His campaign gave out rum to gather supporters. This started George Washington’s rise to power. (p.118) Similarly, coffee played a role in gathering support for Charles II of England under the rule of Cromwell. Charles’ supporters met in coffeehouses. After some time, Charles II rose to the throne and became the king of England. (p.142) The reasons for these shifts in political power is largely due to these and the role they played in gathering support. Rum gathered supporters in elections while coffee gathered supporters to help Charles II rise to the throne. Another political similarity is that coffee and spirits led to revolutions that challenged the political structure of the government. For example, coffee led to the Enlightenment which challenged the current ways of a monarchy. Over time, this questioning led to great revolutions in history. (p.134). Similarly, spirits also led to the American Revolution because the colonists questioned the British monarchy which gave them no representation. This led to freedom and democracy of America. (p.118-119) Coffee and spirits led to these revolutions because coffee made people sober and sharp allowing them to question their current ways and the ways of their ancestors. Spirits made the colonials realize the British control over the colonies. A political difference is that spirits led to a better form of American government while coffee handed the political power to the aristocrats in France. The American Revolution started when the production of spirits required supplies from other countries and the British government needed more money. The unfair taxation gave Americans their independence and a government controlled by the people. (p.116-121)