Why was rum so important to the colonists?

Why was rum so important to the colonists?

Rum was an economic force in the American colonies, but tied to the contemptible practice of human slavery. But in its early heyday, rum played a central role in tavern life, serving as a social lubricant. Town taverns were often the gathering places where political discussion took place and ideas were exchanged.

Why was alcohol drank more during colonial times?

Although some colonial-era beers might have been even weaker than today’s light beers, people drank a lot more of them. In part, heavy alcohol consumption was a way to stay hydrated: Often, clean water wasn’t always accessible.

How did the colonies make rum?

This molasses was either used for table use or in the production of rum. To make rum, sugarcane juice or molasses is fermented with yeast and water and then distilled in copper pot stills. The liquor was given the name rum in 1672, likely after the English slang word rumballion which meant clamor.

What did they drink in Colonial America?

The Founders, like most colonists, were fans of adult beverages. Colonial Americans drank roughly three times as much as modern Americans, primarily in the form of beer, cider, and whiskey.

Why was rum so cheap to produce in the colonies?

Rum was not only imported, but also distilled in the colonies. So being an inexpensive commodity, almost everyone could afford it, and having the option between premium Caribbean rum and cheaper American rum, the quantities at which people could buy the rum was endless.

Why did colonial Americans drink so much?

Colonists believed drinking different alcoholic beverages was part of a proper diet. Taverns were hubs of social activity, where colonists could also read newspapers, hold business meetings, or lodge for the night (You could even pick up your mail at taverns.

Did slaves make rum?

Slaves also seined the boiling matter to collect the molasses—the syrupy byproduct from making sugar.” Enslaved people may have even developed the rum-making process: “Molasses could be sold and used as a sweetener too, but the fermented molasses was enjoyed by the slaves and by poor whites.

Which colonies made rum?

English rum distillation originated in Barbados in the 1630s. Although England’s Caribbean sugar colonies continued to produce the highest quality and best tasting rum, the mainland colonies in North America eventually took advantage of the growing demand for the popular drink.

How did slaves make rum?

The history of rum is a history of slavery in the Americas. They strained the juice and placed it in boiling pots until the sugar was crystallized. At some point, somebody distilled this fermented molasses, and rum was born.”

Why was rum so important in the New England colonies?

Within a generation the production of rum became colonial New England’s largest and most prosperous industry. (15) Clearly, distilled spirits were a very important part of alcohol in Colonial America. In the profitable Triangle Trade, traders took rum to England for manufactured products.

Why was beer so hard to make in colonial America?

So the early settlers brewed their own. However, it was difficult to make the beer to which they were accustomed. That was because wild yeasts caused problems in fermentation. For this reason it resulted in a bitter, unappetizing brew. (4) The early years of alcohol in Colonial America were not easy.

When did rum become available in America?

Colonists believed that distilled spirits were aqua vitae, or water of life. (14) However, rum was not commonly available until after 1650. Then, it increasingly came from the Caribbean. However, the cost of rum dropped after the colonists began importing molasses and cane sugar directly and distilled their own.

How much rum did people drink in the 18th century?

Estimates of rum consumption in the American colonies before the American Revolutionary War had every man, woman, or child drinking an average of 3 imperial gallons (14 l) of rum each year. In the 18th century ever increasing demands for sugar, molasses, rum, and slaves led to a feedback loop which intensified the triangular trade.