History of Coffee - Documentary

Fire of Learning
14 Mar 202119:07

Summary

TLDRThis video from 'Fire of Learning' explores the intriguing history of coffee, from its origins in Ethiopia to becoming a global phenomenon. It delves into the first recorded consumption in the Islamic world, the spread through Europe, and the establishment of coffee houses as hubs for intellectual and political discourse. The script also touches on the religious and health debates surrounding coffee, its role in shaping cultural habits, and how Brazil became the leading coffee producer. The video concludes with modern perspectives on coffee's health effects and its enduring popularity.

Takeaways

  • β˜• Coffee is a major global industry with over 125 million people employed in some form and is responsible for the production of 400 billion cups of coffee consumed worldwide each year.
  • 🌱 The origins of coffee are traced back to the Kefaya plant in Ethiopia, with legends attributing its discovery to an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi between the 6th and 9th centuries.
  • 🌍 Coffee's journey from Ethiopia to the Islamic world suggests that the Arabs were among the first to chew the beans and make drinks from them, with the modern form of coffee likely emerging between the 10th and 15th centuries.
  • πŸ“œ The earliest certain historical evidence of coffee consumption comes from the mid-15th century in Yemen, where Sufism monks are known to have used it for religious practices and medicinal benefits.
  • 🏺 Initially, coffee had a significant religious and medicinal role in Muslim society, but it also faced controversy and was sometimes banned due to its association with intoxicants and unrest.
  • 🚒 Coffee spread to Europe through the Ottoman Empire and trade routes, with the Dutch being the first to successfully cultivate it outside of its native region in the early 17th century.
  • 🌳 The Dutch East India Company played a crucial role in expanding coffee production in tropical colonies, which led to Europe's growing coffee addiction in the 16th and 17th centuries.
  • πŸ› The first coffeehouses in Europe opened in Venice in 1645, becoming centers of intellectual culture and sometimes political dissent, much like their Middle Eastern counterparts.
  • πŸ€” There has been a long-standing debate about the health effects of coffee, with modern science suggesting that it may offer more benefits than drawbacks when consumed in moderation.
  • 🌎 Today, Brazil is the largest coffee producer in the world, and coffee has become a staple beverage for people across various professions and cultures.
  • πŸ“Š Finland leads the world in coffee consumption per capita, and New York is the most coffee-interested state in America, reflecting the enduring and widespread popularity of coffee.

Q & A

  • How many cups of coffee are consumed worldwide each year?

    -Approximately 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year worldwide.

  • What is the main active ingredient in coffee that contributes to its invigorating effects?

    -The main active ingredient in coffee that contributes to its invigorating effects is caffeine.

  • What is the homeland of the kefaya plant, which is the source of coffee?

    -The homeland of the kefaya plant, the source of coffee, is Aromaia, a region in what is today the East African nation of Ethiopia.

  • What is the legend about the discovery of coffee involving an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi?

    -The legend attributes the discovery of coffee to an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi who noticed his goats becoming energetic after eating the red berries of an unfamiliar shrub. He tried the berries himself and experienced the energizing effects, which he then shared with a local monk.

  • How did the first cup of coffee come to be, according to the legend involving Kaldi?

    -According to the legend, the monk rejected the berries Kaldi brought and cast them into a fire. The smell of the roasting beans caught the attention of the monk and others, leading them to retrieve the beans, grind them, and mix them with water to create the first cup of coffee.

  • What role did the Ottoman Empire play in the spread of coffee to Europe?

    -The Ottoman Empire played a significant role in the spread of coffee to Europe by introducing it to Constantinople in the 1550s. European merchants and travelers observed and tried coffee there, which led to its gradual introduction to various parts of Europe.

  • Which European country was the first to introduce coffee cultivation in its colonies?

    -The Netherlands was the first European country to introduce coffee cultivation in its colonies, such as the island of Sri Lanka, Java in Indonesia, and Suriname in South America.

  • What is the significance of the coffee plant in the context of the Dutch East India Company?

    -The Dutch East India Company played a crucial role in spearheading European coffee production in its tropical colonies during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, fueling Europe's growing addiction to coffee.

  • What is the relationship between the variety of coffee known as 'Arabica' and the story of Gabriel de Clieu?

    -Gabriel de Clieu is credited with bringing coffee to the island of Martinique in 1720. It is said that much of the coffee drink around the world, specifically the Arabica variety, which accounts for about 65 percent of production, is descended from his plants.

  • How did the Boston Tea Party in 1773 affect the popularity of coffee in America?

    -After the Boston Tea Party in 1773, tea became a symbol of royal tyranny, leading Americans to prefer coffee, which they still do to this day.

  • What are some of the health effects associated with moderate coffee consumption?

    -Moderate coffee consumption, defined as an average of three to four cups a day, has been associated with a number of health benefits, including a lower risk for various diseases and potentially a longer life span. However, it's important to note that coffee is not very nutritional on its own and can have negative effects when consumed in excess or by individuals with certain health conditions.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Origins and Global Impact of Coffee

This paragraph delves into the origins of coffee, tracing its roots back to the Kefaya plant in Ethiopia. It discusses the legendary Ethiopian goat herder Kaldi's discovery of coffee's energizing effects and the early consumption of coffee in the Islamic world. The narrative highlights the gradual spread of coffee across the Middle East and North Africa, its religious significance during Ramadan, and the evolution of coffee houses as centers for social and political discourse. The paragraph also touches on the initial controversy surrounding coffee's consumption and its eventual acceptance in Christian Europe, leading to its widespread popularity.

05:01

🌱 The Spread of Coffee and Its Integration into European Culture

This section explores how coffee spread to Europe through the Ottoman Empire and its introduction to Malta and Constantinople. It details the Dutch's success in acquiring coffee beans and establishing coffee plantations in their tropical colonies, which significantly contributed to Europe's coffee supply. The paragraph also discusses the opening of the first European coffeehouses in Venice and their role as intellectual hubs, contrasting with the more tumultuous Middle Eastern coffeehouses. Additionally, it covers the initial religious and health concerns about coffee in Christian Europe, the Pope's blessing of coffee, and its eventual acceptance and integration into European culture.

10:02

β˜•οΈ The Rise of Coffee as a Global Commodity and Its Health Impact

This paragraph examines the rise of coffee as a global commodity, with a focus on the significant role played by Brazil in coffee production. It discusses the impact of coffee on labor conditions during the industrial era and the shift of coffee from an upper-class drink to a fuel for the working class. The narrative also explores the geographical 'coffee belt' and the countries that have increased production within this region. Furthermore, it delves into the health effects of coffee, addressing both the historical and modern perspectives on its benefits and drawbacks, and emphasizing the overall safety of coffee consumption within normal limits.

15:04

πŸ“Š Current Trends in Coffee Consumption and Its Future Outlook

The final paragraph discusses the current trends in coffee consumption, noting Finland's high per capita consumption and New York's interest in coffee. It highlights the enduring popularity of coffee and its transformation from a luxury item to an everyday beverage for the masses. The paragraph also addresses the health implications of coffee, dispelling some historical myths while acknowledging the modern scientific findings that suggest coffee may contribute to a longer and healthier life. It concludes with a cautionary note about excessive caffeine consumption and the potential dangers of combining coffee with other sources of caffeine.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Caffeine

Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant found in coffee beans, tea leaves, and cacao pods. It is the primary active ingredient in coffee that contributes to its invigorating effects. In the video, caffeine is highlighted as a central reason for coffee's popularity, with its ability to enhance alertness and productivity. The script mentions that coffee contains about 95 milligrams of caffeine per cup, which is nearly four times the amount found in tea.

πŸ’‘Coffee Belt

The Coffee Belt refers to a geographical region around the equator, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, where the climate is ideal for growing coffee. This region includes countries like Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, and Ethiopia, which are significant coffee producers. The script emphasizes the importance of the Coffee Belt in the global coffee industry, noting that these countries are responsible for a large portion of the world's coffee production.

πŸ’‘Kaldi

Kaldi is an Ethiopian goat herder, credited in legend with the discovery of coffee. According to the story mentioned in the script, Kaldi observed his goats becoming energetic after eating coffee berries and shared this discovery with a local monk. This narrative is often cited as the origin of coffee consumption, although it is more likely a legend than a historical account.

πŸ’‘Coffee Houses

Coffee houses, also known as coffee shops, are establishments that primarily serve coffee as a beverage. They originated in the Middle East and spread to Europe, becoming central to social and intellectual life. In the script, coffee houses are described as places where men of all classes could gather, engage in discussions, and play games. They were also noted as potential sources of trouble and political unrest, leading to periods of bans and restrictions.

πŸ’‘Sufi Monks

Sufi monks are members of the Sufi order, a mystical branch of Islam. They are significant in the history of coffee as the script suggests that the earliest certain appearance of coffee in its modern form can be traced back to the mid-15th century in the monasteries of Sufi monks in Yemen. The monks are believed to have used coffee to assist in fasting during Ramadan and to stay awake for prayers.

πŸ’‘Dutch East India Company

The Dutch East India Company was a Dutch trading company that played a crucial role in the spread of coffee cultivation. As mentioned in the script, the company spearheaded European coffee production in its tropical colonies, such as Sri Lanka, Java, and Suriname, during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. This helped fuel Europe's growing demand for coffee.

πŸ’‘Arabica

Arabica is one of the primary varieties of coffee beans, accounting for about 65 percent of global coffee production. The script discusses how much of the coffee consumed worldwide today is descended from plants brought to the island of Martinique by Gabriel de Clieu in 1720. Arabica beans are known for their superior flavor and are preferred for their mild and aromatic qualities.

πŸ’‘Enlightenment

The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism. In the context of the script, coffee houses became centers for Enlightenment philosophers to gather and discuss new ideas that often challenged the status quo and ruling political elites.

πŸ’‘Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by American colonists in 1773 against British tax policies and the East India Company's monopoly on tea. The script notes that after this event, tea became a symbol of royal tyranny, leading Americans to prefer coffee, which they still do to this day.

πŸ’‘Coffee Production

Coffee production refers to the process of growing, harvesting, and processing coffee beans. The script discusses the history of coffee production, from its origins in Ethiopia to the global industry it has become today. It highlights Brazil as the leading coffee producer, especially during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and notes the role of slave labor in coffee production, as well as the economic and social impacts of the industry.

Highlights

Over 125 million people are employed in the coffee industry worldwide, producing 400 billion cups of coffee annually.

Caffeine, the active ingredient in coffee, has been consumed since before recorded history but coffee as a beverage was unknown for most of human history.

The story of coffee's discovery is attributed to an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi, though this is likely more legend than fact.

Caffeine acts as a pesticide for plants, and its stimulating effects on larger creatures like humans and goats are survivable and enjoyable.

Ethiopian locals, possibly the Gala tribe, discovered the effects of coffee berries, but it was the Arabs who first made a drink from them.

The earliest certain appearance of coffee in its modern form dates back to the mid-15th century in Yemeni monasteries.

Coffee spread across the Middle East and North Africa, initially having religious significance and medicinal benefits.

Coffee houses became places for men of all classes to congregate, leading to some controversy and even bans in certain places.

The spread of coffee to the Christian world came via the Ottoman Empire, which conquered Yemen and introduced coffee to Constantinople.

Coffee was introduced to Europe through trade and war, with the Dutch being the first to successfully cultivate it in their colonies.

Gabrielle de Clieu brought coffee to the island of Martinique, and his plants are said to have given rise to much of the world's Arabica coffee.

The first European coffeehouses opened in Venice in 1645, becoming centers of intellectual culture rather than rowdiness.

Coffee's popularity faced religious and health concerns, but Pope Clement VIII's blessing helped it gain acceptance in Catholic countries.

After the Boston Tea Party, coffee became a symbol of American independence, and the U.S. has remained a major consumer of coffee.

Coffee reached Japan in 1858, and Brazil became the world's largest coffee producer, leading global production until the mid-20th century.

Today, coffee is considered safe and potentially beneficial for health when consumed in normal amounts, with some studies showing longer life expectancy for coffee drinkers.

Finland has the highest coffee consumption per capita, and New York is the most interested in coffee among American states.

Transcripts

play00:00

[Music]

play00:01

coffee over 125 million people today are

play00:05

in some form employed in the industry

play00:07

surrounding it worldwide helping to

play00:09

bring the world the 400 billion cups of

play00:11

coffee it consumes each year many in

play00:14

fact consider having at least a morning

play00:15

cup of coffee a necessary part of having

play00:18

a productive day or at least a stable

play00:20

one the main reason for this unless

play00:22

you're drinking decaf is the famous

play00:25

invigorating and generally safe drug

play00:27

called caffeine coffee has helped to

play00:30

fuel mankind in its various pursuits for

play00:32

centuries but how long exactly where did

play00:36

coffee come from and how did it take

play00:38

over the world ladies and gentlemen

play00:40

hello and welcome to fire of learning

play00:42

i'm justin in this video we will be

play00:44

exploring the fascinating origins of

play00:46

coffee before we begin i'd like to thank

play00:49

lamia buchrisse eric raider beth baird

play00:51

mike fantasia stephen colona michael

play00:53

mcginnis nicola lonesha everett white

play00:56

anubis anarchy faceless buster david md

play00:59

lynnae casperson blaine arahara carolis

play01:02

and alan hastie for being our most

play01:04

recent supporters on patreon they joined

play01:06

these supporters who helped make these

play01:07

videos possible also a past patron had

play01:10

his name mispronounced jacob sewers is

play01:12

actually jacob sivers this video is an

play01:14

improved remake of a video i did years

play01:16

ago now then let's get to it

play01:19

many societies such as the united states

play01:22

home to many of the world's most famous

play01:24

coffee house chains consider coffee to

play01:26

be a central part of their dietary

play01:28

culture however though caffeine itself

play01:30

has been consumed by humans in some form

play01:33

since before recorded history for most

play01:35

of human history coffee itself was

play01:37

unknown to the world the story begins in

play01:40

the late middle ages and early modern

play01:42

era with the berries of a small tree

play01:44

native to aromia a region of what is

play01:47

today the east african nation of

play01:48

ethiopia this is the homeland of the

play01:51

kefaya plant when exactly people first

play01:54

stumbled upon and consumed the berries

play01:56

of the kefaya plant and felt the

play01:59

stimulating effects of the red berries

play02:01

or cherries is not known one legend

play02:03

attributes the discovery to an ethiopian

play02:05

goat herder named kaldi who lived

play02:07

sometime between the 6th and 9th century

play02:10

one day he noticed some of his goats had

play02:12

become quite energetic after chewing on

play02:15

the red berries of an unfamiliar shrub

play02:17

made curious by his dancing goats he

play02:20

dried the berries for himself and felt

play02:22

these energizing effects believing his

play02:25

discovery to be quite important he took

play02:27

the berries to a local monk the monk

play02:29

however rejected them and cast them into

play02:31

a nearby fire however the smell of the

play02:34

roasting coffee seeds within the berries

play02:36

which are usually called beans although

play02:38

they're technically not caught his

play02:39

attention as well as the attention of

play02:41

other nearby monks the beans were taken

play02:43

from the fire ground up and mixed into a

play02:45

cup of water thus the first cup of

play02:48

coffee

play02:49

this story which seems to come from

play02:52

european writers from the late 1600s is

play02:55

probably much more legend than history

play02:57

one of a handful of legends pertaining

play02:59

to the discovery of coffee in fact no

play03:01

one knows who first discovered the

play03:03

effects of coffee and we likely never

play03:05

will however it is certainly quite

play03:07

possible that the true story is not too

play03:09

dissimilar

play03:11

caffeine is a deadly poison

play03:14

to insects

play03:15

it's believed that caffeine naturally

play03:17

functioned as a pesticide overloading

play03:19

the nervous system of insects causing

play03:21

them to die before they could consume a

play03:22

large portion of the plant however that

play03:25

same effect on a much larger creature

play03:27

like a human or perhaps a goat is a much

play03:30

more survivable and enjoyable experience

play03:33

one way or another ethiopian locals

play03:36

likely the gala tribe discovered this

play03:38

effect of the coffee berry however it

play03:40

does not appear that they were the first

play03:42

to make a drink from the seeds rather

play03:45

that appears to have happened in the

play03:47

nearby islamic world like in africa it

play03:50

appears that the arabs first chewed the

play03:51

beans and made drinks from them which

play03:53

historians believe were quite different

play03:55

from modern coffee this may have begun

play03:57

sometime around the 10th century or so

play03:59

the persian scholar al-razi seems to

play04:01

have mentioned the stimulating effects

play04:03

of the berries around this time the

play04:05

arabs called the drink they made from

play04:07

the berries kabla a word interestingly

play04:09

related to their word for wine and

play04:11

likely the origin of the modern word for

play04:13

coffee across most languages when they

play04:15

began making coffee in its modern form

play04:18

is not known but it seems to have been

play04:20

sometime between the 10th and 15th

play04:22

century there is clear written evidence

play04:24

of the consumption of coffee in the

play04:26

islamic world by at least the 15th

play04:28

century a drink which they again gave

play04:30

the same name as the other drink kabua

play04:33

according to bennett alan weinberg and

play04:35

bonnie k beeler in the world of caffeine

play04:38

the earliest certain appearance of

play04:40

coffee in its modern form comes from the

play04:42

mid-15th century in the monasteries of

play04:44

sufi monks in yemen which was just

play04:46

across the red sea they also note there

play04:48

is a strange lack of discussion about

play04:50

coffee beans or potentially coffee

play04:52

itself the beans being called boone or

play04:54

booncham between the 10th and 15th

play04:56

centuries with the exception of folk

play04:58

accounts such as that of the sheik omar

play05:00

his story is another one pertaining to

play05:02

the supposed discovery of coffee he is

play05:04

said to have survived off the berries

play05:06

and the drink he brewed from them after

play05:08

having been banished men introduced him

play05:10

to his people in the 12th century

play05:13

why this 500 year gap regarding the

play05:15

discussion of coffee exists is yet

play05:17

another coffee mystery anyway it appears

play05:20

to have reached the city of moca in

play05:22

modern day yemen by that time it soon

play05:25

reached nearby mecca from there mecca

play05:28

being a mecca of the islamic world after

play05:30

all it spread out across the middle east

play05:32

and north africa interestingly coffee

play05:35

initially had a religious significance

play05:38

to many muslims especially the sufis who

play05:40

used it to assist in fasting during

play05:42

ramadan as well as to aid them in

play05:44

staying awake at night for prayers it

play05:46

was also believed to have carried many

play05:48

medicinal benefits some of which though

play05:51

not all of course scientists today know

play05:53

consuming it really does have quite

play05:55

quickly though in a society which

play05:57

forbade alcohol it became a drink of the

play06:00

common people for normal casual use what

play06:03

followed were places for men men of all

play06:05

classes but men only to congregate and

play06:08

consume the beverage these were the

play06:10

first coffee houses women could consume

play06:13

coffee at home though in some

play06:15

circumstances they were allowed to sing

play06:17

at coffee houses provided they were

play06:19

hidden from view these coffee houses

play06:21

became places of both relaxation and

play06:23

games but also serious discussion and

play06:25

argument not everyone approved however

play06:28

other muslims felt that the ban on

play06:30

intoxicants such as alcohol mentioned in

play06:33

the quran should apply to coffee as well

play06:35

furthermore coffee houses became sources

play06:38

of trouble centers of debauchery

play06:40

forbidden by islamic law and hotbeds of

play06:42

political unrest indeed at certain

play06:45

points and in certain places such as the

play06:48

city of mecca in 1511 coffee and coffee

play06:51

house bands were enacted forcing the

play06:53

trade and consumption underground in

play06:56

some cases trading and consuming coffee

play06:58

was punishable by death the spread to

play07:01

the christian world seems to have come

play07:03

via the burgeoning ottoman empire which

play07:06

ruled over parts of europe and much of

play07:07

the middle east the ottomans conquered

play07:09

yemen in 1536.

play07:12

syrians introduced coffee to the capital

play07:14

of constantinople in the 1550s and the

play07:16

turks became very enthusiastic about it

play07:19

many european merchants and travelers

play07:22

first observed it there tried it on some

play07:24

occasions and sometimes wrote of it

play07:26

coffee's gradual introduction to europe

play07:28

appears to have been through both war

play07:30

and trade in 1565 the ottomans attempted

play07:34

to conquer the island of malta they were

play07:36

defeated however by the knights of saint

play07:38

john they took ottoman soldiers as

play07:40

slaves who introduced the maltese to

play07:43

coffee decades later the venetians

play07:45

became interested in the drink and

play07:47

acquired it through trade becoming the

play07:49

first to introduce the drink to the

play07:51

continent throughout the late 1500s

play07:53

coffee quickly spread to many other

play07:55

parts of europe england france the other

play07:58

italians and the dutch were especially

play08:00

interested the people of europe began to

play08:02

search for the plant which produced

play08:04

these wonderful new beings the dutch

play08:06

were the first to succeed in 1616 when a

play08:09

sly merchant peter van der brooke

play08:11

acquired them while in the city of moca

play08:13

this was no simple task the yaminis

play08:16

guarded their coffee supply closely

play08:18

requiring that any beans which left the

play08:20

area be boiled or roasted to prevent

play08:23

germination however peter was not the

play08:25

first to succeed in smuggling them a

play08:26

muslim pilgrim had already succeeded in

play08:29

bringing them to india by taping the

play08:31

seeds to his stomach under his clothes

play08:33

still burka's success was of great

play08:35

importance to his people he took them

play08:37

back to his home in the netherlands

play08:39

where he began to successfully grow them

play08:41

however such cold climates as northern

play08:44

europe are not ideal for large-scale

play08:46

coffee production thankfully for the

play08:48

dutch however in this time they were in

play08:50

the business of acquiring tropical

play08:52

colonies such as the island of sri lanka

play08:54

south of india the island of java in

play08:57

indonesia and suriname in south america

play09:00

the dutch east india company spearheaded

play09:02

european coffee production in these

play09:04

areas in the late 16 and early 1700s

play09:07

fueling europe's new coffee addiction

play09:09

for many years

play09:10

other european empires would follow suit

play09:12

in their warmer colonies as well

play09:14

in 1720 gabrielle de clau brought coffee

play09:18

to the island of martinique legend says

play09:20

he introduced it to the island and kept

play09:22

it alive on a ship by sharing his

play09:24

limited water ration with it though in

play09:26

truth others may have already brought it

play09:28

there much of the coffee drink around

play09:31

the world arabica is said to be

play09:33

descended from his plants arabica by the

play09:36

way is one of the four main varieties of

play09:38

coffee drank around the world to this

play09:40

day accounting for about 65 percent of

play09:43

production the other main one being

play09:45

robusta which makes up much of the

play09:47

remainder liberica and excelsa are

play09:49

somewhat rarer anyway coffee was also

play09:52

farmed by the slaves of the french

play09:54

colony of sandaming modern-day haiti

play09:56

which would later begin to produce

play09:57

massive amounts of coffee as well

play09:59

the first european coffeehouses opened

play10:02

in venice in 1645

play10:04

the rest of europe followed suit with

play10:06

thousands of copy houses springing up

play10:08

throughout the continent in the

play10:09

subsequent decades european coffeehouses

play10:12

were not quite as rowdy as the middle

play10:14

eastern counterparts as they already had

play10:16

pubs with alcohol for that thus they

play10:18

were more likely to become centers of

play10:20

intellectual culture however that does

play10:22

not mean they were not centers of

play10:24

trouble at all coffee houses were

play10:26

frequent meeting places for those

play10:27

seeking to discuss new ideas new ideas

play10:30

which often contradicted the ideas of

play10:32

ruling political elites in 1675 charles

play10:36

ii the son of a king who had had his

play10:38

head cut off by political dissidents

play10:40

after a civil war attempted to shut down

play10:43

coffeehouses throughout england but

play10:44

retracted his order when the public

play10:46

outcry was too great likewise french

play10:49

enlightenment philosophers were later

play10:51

known for gathering in coffee houses in

play10:53

the years prior to the french revolution

play10:56

coffee wasn't always popular with those

play10:58

supportive of the enlightenment however

play11:00

in his book uncommon grounds mark

play11:02

pendergast shares a quote from frederick

play11:05

the great the 18th century king of

play11:07

prussia and by the way friend of the

play11:09

enthusiastic coffee addict voltaire in

play11:12

which he denounced it he was recorded to

play11:14

have said

play11:15

it is disgusting to notice the increase

play11:17

in the quantity of coffee used by my

play11:20

subjects and the like amount of money

play11:22

that goes out of the country in

play11:23

consequence

play11:24

my people must drink beer his majesty

play11:27

was brought up on beer and so were his

play11:30

ancestors and quote he then banned the

play11:33

roasting of coffee outside of government

play11:34

establishments for four years old fritz

play11:37

was known for being a bit of a

play11:39

curmudgeon in frederick's defense

play11:41

importing coffee to prussia was costly

play11:43

others however believed the coffee had

play11:45

helped to bring sobriety to their

play11:46

countries and were glad to see the

play11:48

change

play11:50

like in the islamic world christians

play11:52

initially also had religious concerns

play11:54

about coffee though their concerns were

play11:56

not as strong they did have concerns

play11:58

about a muslim drink becoming popular

play12:01

among their people however when pope

play12:03

clement viii tried it around the year

play12:05

1600 he gave it his blessing it is

play12:07

claimed and it may or not be true that

play12:09

he said quote

play12:11

why

play12:12

this satan's drink is so delicious that

play12:15

it would be a pity to let the infidels

play12:17

have exclusive use of it we shall cheat

play12:19

satan by baptizing it and making it a

play12:22

truly christian beverage end quote and

play12:25

thus the catholic world especially italy

play12:27

and eventually france accepted coffee

play12:30

and never looked back the italians in

play12:32

particular would become creative with

play12:34

coffee inventing many ways of having it

play12:36

including espresso in victorian england

play12:39

christian prohibitionists encouraged

play12:41

coffee houses as an alternative to

play12:43

alcohol a few branches of christianity

play12:46

however eventually did decide against

play12:48

coffee most famously the mormons in 1683

play12:52

a massive ottoman army attempted to

play12:54

conquer the austrian capital of vienna

play12:57

at the battle of vienna they were

play12:59

defeated by a combined christian force

play13:01

who upon pillaging the ottoman army

play13:04

camps found coffee initially they

play13:06

assumed it was camel food so they burned

play13:09

it but thankfully for them a commander

play13:11

who had lived in the ottoman empire for

play13:13

a time recognized the smell this helped

play13:16

coffee's immediate spread throughout

play13:18

central and eastern europe coffee was

play13:21

very well received throughout europe

play13:23

however throughout this time it should

play13:25

be remembered that coffee was in

play13:26

competition with tea for which the

play13:28

british for example developed preference

play13:31

this was the case in their american

play13:33

colonies as well that is of course until

play13:36

the tea act was placed upon them after

play13:38

american patriots held the boston tea

play13:40

party in 1773 tea became a symbol of

play13:44

royal tyranny and americans began to

play13:46

prefer coffee which they still do to

play13:48

this day though it was expensive and

play13:50

less common in america in those days for

play13:52

example in 1774

play13:55

john adams wrote to his wife abigail

play13:57

saying quote t must be universally

play13:59

renounced and i must be weaned the

play14:02

sooner the better

play14:03

caffeine was first separated from coffee

play14:06

by friedlib ferdinand runge in 1819 at

play14:09

the suggestion of johann wolfgang von

play14:11

gotta coffee only reached isolationistic

play14:14

japan in 1858 in the end the king of

play14:18

coffee plantations would be brazil

play14:20

coffee became popular there after the

play14:23

country gained independence from

play14:24

portugal in 1822. by 1852 brazil was

play14:28

leading the world in terms of coffee

play14:29

production much of this was through

play14:32

slave labor in fact coffee production

play14:34

played a large role in making brazil the

play14:36

last country in the americas to abolish

play14:39

slavery not doing so until 1888 and only

play14:43

then in part because paid labor from

play14:45

europe became cheaper to this day the

play14:48

large warm and fertile country of brazil

play14:50

remains the world's largest coffee

play14:53

producer from 1850 until 1950 in fact it

play14:56

exported more coffee than the rest of

play14:59

the world combined since then other

play15:01

countries namely vietnam colombia

play15:04

indonesia and of course ethiopia have

play15:06

begun to increase production each of

play15:08

these countries lies between the tropics

play15:10

of cancer and capricorn or what's called

play15:12

the coffee belt a geographical belt

play15:14

stretching around the planet where

play15:16

conditions are ideal for growing coffee

play15:18

today brazil produces one-third of all

play15:21

the world's coffee in the industrial era

play15:24

when coffee production became more

play15:26

bountiful coffee began to move from

play15:28

being a drink more often than not

play15:30

associated with the upper classes to one

play15:32

which fueled working people in their

play15:34

gruesome labor conditions to this day

play15:36

common folk fuel their labor across a

play15:38

wide variety of fields with coffee

play15:41

though as i mentioned brazil produces

play15:43

coffee at great levels proportionally

play15:45

speaking finland drinks more coffee than

play15:47

any other country at over 26 pounds per

play15:50

capita per year the rest of scandinavia

play15:53

has high consumption levels as well if

play15:55

you consider finland scandinavia anyway

play15:57

of the american states new york is the

play16:00

most interested in coffee

play16:02

today coffee's popularity is stronger

play16:04

than ever man it doesn't appear likely

play16:06

that that popularity is going anywhere

play16:08

with so many people consuming so much

play16:10

coffee many wonder

play16:12

how exactly is coffee affecting our

play16:15

health

play16:16

coffee has been viewed as a drug since

play16:18

its beginnings indeed in its early days

play16:21

it was perhaps viewed more as a drug

play16:23

than as a comestible in its early days

play16:26

it was said to cause impotence sterility

play16:28

exhaustion dry up cerebrospinal fluid

play16:31

and eventually cause paralysis inversely

play16:34

others said that it was a remedy for

play16:36

plague and that it prevented stillbirths

play16:39

these claims weren't exactly scientific

play16:41

but modern science has shown that there

play16:44

are a number of benefits and drawbacks

play16:45

to coffee some of which were indeed

play16:48

suggested by the people of the past

play16:50

overall coffee is considered very safe

play16:52

when consumed at normal amounts i.e on

play16:56

average three to four cups a day each

play16:58

cup of normal coffee contains about 95

play17:00

milligrams of caffeine almost four times

play17:03

the amount in a cup of tea we all know

play17:05

people who would call that rookie

play17:06

numbers though that amount may be too

play17:08

high for pregnant women coffee intake

play17:11

may be associated with low birth rate or

play17:14

even miscarriage but the science on this

play17:16

is not very clear overall coffee may be

play17:19

more beneficial to human health than

play17:20

harmful many studies show coffee

play17:22

drinkers seem to live longer than

play17:25

non-drinkers and are at lower risk for a

play17:27

whole list of diseases whether or not

play17:29

this is causal that is to say whether or

play17:32

not coffee itself is actually causing

play17:34

people to live longer and be healthier

play17:35

or if it's co-correlated with something

play17:37

else is unclear coffee may also improve

play17:40

gastrointestinal health lift mood and as

play17:43

many are well aware give an individual a

play17:46

feeling of increased energy still coffee

play17:49

is not very nutritional in itself and it

play17:51

can have negative effects especially

play17:54

when consumed in excess or consumed by

play17:56

individuals suffering from disorders

play17:58

such as gerd an anxiety disorder or much

play18:01

more seriously an unruptured aneurysm in

play18:04

case you were wondering on average it

play18:06

would take about 70 cups of coffee or

play18:08

over four gallons at once to kill a

play18:10

healthy adult though you would likely

play18:12

begin feeling extremely unpleasant

play18:15

before even nearing that number and find

play18:17

yourself unable to go through with it in

play18:19

fact you would likely die from water

play18:21

intoxication well before caffeine

play18:24

overdose more concentrated forms of

play18:26

caffeine have been deadly however so be

play18:28

careful about combining coffee with

play18:30

other stronger sources of caffeine i

play18:33

hope you enjoyed this video if so i

play18:35

invite you to come check out the rest of

play18:36

fire of learning and to subscribe for

play18:38

more videos like this in the future to

play18:40

help with the cost of producing these

play18:41

videos a donation on patreon would be a

play18:43

big help a special thanks to our patrons

play18:45

once again listed here we are also on

play18:47

instagram and i run a science channel

play18:49

called lusinox which you may want to

play18:51

check out too sources are listed in the

play18:53

description history of spain part 2 is

play18:55

coming thank you for watching

play18:58

alright well i'm going to grab a cup of

play19:00

tea

Rate This
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Related Tags
Coffee HistoryCultural ImpactEthiopian OriginIslamic TraditionEuropean SpreadCoffee HousesHealth EffectsGlobal IndustryCaffeine ContentSocial Significance