BETA
Chapter 1
The dramatic rise of the fork
Chapter 2
The global journey of tea
Chapter 3
The protective power of umbrellas
YOUR GOAL
Master of Everyday things with wild histories
Ch 2 · The global journey of tea
misslily The global journey of tea
Before we poured it in a cup, we paid our bills in bricks of tea!
misslily Britain broke China's tea monopoly through a massive operation of industrial espionage in the 19th century.
misslily For centuries, compressed tea bricks served as a valuable form of money across Asia and parts of Europe.
Fun Fact
Tea currency: Until the early 20th century, compressed bricks of tea leaves were so valuable in Siberia that they were used as physical money.
Glossary
tea (noun)
A beverage made by steeping the dried leaves of an Asian evergreen shrub in boiling water. Portuguese merchants first brought the leaves from China to Europe during the sixteenth century.
A beverage made by steeping the dried leaves of an Asian evergreen shrub in boiling water. Portuguese merchants first brought the leaves from China to Europe during the sixteenth century.
Quiz
According to Chinese legend, which emperor accidentally discovered tea in 2737 BCE?
Quiz
During which Chinese dynasty did the practice of compressing tea into dense bricks for transport become widespread?
Quiz
How many tea plants did Robert Fortune successfully smuggle out of China during his secret mission?
Quiz
What unexpected material did Thomas Sullivan use in 1908 that accidentally led to the invention of the tea bag?
Quiz
Which British company sponsored the 19th-century industrial espionage mission to break China's tea monopoly?
Quiz
Which plant species are all true teas, such as green, black, and oolong, made from?