Slavery

Throughout history, slavery has become a major topic of discussion. One of the things that many people do not contemplate is the history of slavery and coffee. While coffee makers themselves are a vital part of everyday life for millions of people around the world, knowing just how coffee became this important is something that everyone should have knowledge of.

Before commercial coffee machine, there were other methods of brewing that perfect cup of coffee. During the earlier years of history, the slave trade was a major aspect in the world. Ships from Europe would typically carry a cargo of manufactured trade goods into Africa and exchange those products for slaves, which would then be transported to America. In America, the slaves would be sold so that the owners could purchase agricultural products, which were often produced with labor by other slaves. These products would then be returned to Europe and the cycle would begin once again.

During those years, the sheer dissolution of slavery was excused for the good of economics. Slavery was actually involved in many of the most profitable industries of those years. While many slaves were brought to the Americas in order to produce and harvest sugar, there were others who were used to harvest cotton, tobacco and even coffee. Those West Indian colonies of Europe were very important to their owners. In fact, they were their most important possessions and Europeans would go to very extreme measures in order to protect their investments in their slaves.

The most successful West Indian colonies during those periods belonged to the United Kingdom. The British Naval Supremacy along with control over islands like Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados made the slave colonies even more important. In fact, it gave the United Kingdom a highly successful advantage over many competitors in the coffee, as well as other industries. The advantage that the UK had was even further enforced when France lost the St. Dominique colony to a slave revolt. While the British Islands were producing sugar, West Indian sugar became omnipresent as a flavor additive to Chinese tea. American slave labor also took a rise during this time and soon permeated every level of the British society with their tobacco, sugar and coffee products.

Therefore, the next time that you enjoy your wonderful cup of coffee from your local commercial coffee machine, remember the history that actually goes into each drop of coffee that you drink. While the slavery period has been long gone for some time now, there are many who actively attempt to maintain a hold on this important and interesting history of the world. Without the slavery aspects during those years, many wonder if the coffee industry would be as successful and as important a part of the daily lives of so many people today. It certainly makes you wonder about where your coffee comes from and should make you appreciate all the effort that has gone into making sure that you receive that steaming cup each morning.