Why Is Tea Associated With The British?
Tea has become the most common drink of the British and even more appreciated than Coffee. The first tea came into Europe in 1610 on Dutch ships. In 1658 the first Tea related advertisement featured in a London newspaper.
Imports - Tea had been imported to Portugal by their trade merchants in Japan and China. Catherine of Braganza, Charles II’s second Portuguese queen, pioneered the act of drinking tea that broadened rapidly and reached all the way through the country and to the English.
In 1750, Tea gradually became a drink of the high society in Britain as surprisingly, during those times the cheapest tea was more than one-third of the cost of a laborer’s wage. Tea, originally a discovery of China was introduced to India and from there the trade came to England. It is also said that explorers like Marco Polo brought the tea culture of the Indian Royals to Britain.
Tea became so popular that Fernand Braudel, a historian and writer questioned, "Whether it was true that Tea replaced gin as the new drink in England?” By 1766, "tea fleets" were ever-growing and proving invaluable to the British and other Europeans, not only because it was easily cultivated, but also because it was easily prepared.
Afternoon Tea concept - Afternoon Tea was made famous around 1800 by the Duchess of Bedford, Anna Russel, to kill the huger pangs between lunch and dinner. It was an afternoon break and a light meal. Gradually, tea drinking developed into a classy sociable ceremony. Tea gardens were established where couples could take a stroll in the afternoon and have tea with cakes, bread and butter. Tea parties became popular with the then high class society. Soon after, with trade flourishing, tea became even more popular and available to the masses.
Industrial Revolution - Some historians suggest that tea played an important role in the British Industrial Revolution. Due to the stimulants present in tea it turned into an afternoon custom accompanied with sugary snacks amongst the workers, which improved their efficiency and the working hours of the workers; this energized their capacity to work late hours.
Protest - Tea also became a topic of protest while America was still a part of Britain. Britain imposed high taxes on tea so when colonists decided to take revenge, they entered the docked ship of British East India Company and dumped all of the tea in water, an incident that famously because known as ‘The Boston Tea Party’.
Tea in Britain was traditionally brewed in a China teapot using freshly boiled water and the tea leaves were left for a few minutes. For the sweet tooth, some milk and little sugar were added to give extra flavour. Over a period of time Tea made its mark on the British and became a part of its Royal culture, spreading all over the country. Today it is still considered one of the most highly consumed beverages of the British.
Richard Woods is a writer for KLIX UK, a drinks vending division of Mars Inc.
Tea has become the most common drink of the British and even more appreciated than Coffee. The first tea came into Europe in 1610 on Dutch ships. In 1658 the first Tea related advertisement featured in a London newspaper.
Imports - Tea had been imported to Portugal by their trade merchants in Japan and China. Catherine of Braganza, Charles II’s second Portuguese queen, pioneered the act of drinking tea that broadened rapidly and reached all the way through the country and to the English.
In 1750, Tea gradually became a drink of the high society in Britain as surprisingly, during those times the cheapest tea was more than one-third of the cost of a laborer’s wage. Tea, originally a discovery of China was introduced to India and from there the trade came to England. It is also said that explorers like Marco Polo brought the tea culture of the Indian Royals to Britain.
Tea became so popular that Fernand Braudel, a historian and writer questioned, "Whether it was true that Tea replaced gin as the new drink in England?” By 1766, "tea fleets" were ever-growing and proving invaluable to the British and other Europeans, not only because it was easily cultivated, but also because it was easily prepared.
Afternoon Tea concept - Afternoon Tea was made famous around 1800 by the Duchess of Bedford, Anna Russel, to kill the huger pangs between lunch and dinner. It was an afternoon break and a light meal. Gradually, tea drinking developed into a classy sociable ceremony. Tea gardens were established where couples could take a stroll in the afternoon and have tea with cakes, bread and butter. Tea parties became popular with the then high class society. Soon after, with trade flourishing, tea became even more popular and available to the masses.
Industrial Revolution - Some historians suggest that tea played an important role in the British Industrial Revolution. Due to the stimulants present in tea it turned into an afternoon custom accompanied with sugary snacks amongst the workers, which improved their efficiency and the working hours of the workers; this energized their capacity to work late hours.
Protest - Tea also became a topic of protest while America was still a part of Britain. Britain imposed high taxes on tea so when colonists decided to take revenge, they entered the docked ship of British East India Company and dumped all of the tea in water, an incident that famously because known as ‘The Boston Tea Party’.
Tea in Britain was traditionally brewed in a China teapot using freshly boiled water and the tea leaves were left for a few minutes. For the sweet tooth, some milk and little sugar were added to give extra flavour. Over a period of time Tea made its mark on the British and became a part of its Royal culture, spreading all over the country. Today it is still considered one of the most highly consumed beverages of the British.
Richard Woods is a writer for KLIX UK, a drinks vending division of Mars Inc.
