HIST 254 - History of Coffee and Cigarettes (TR)

How did Arabian coffee and American tobacco become global vices? How has the use and meaning of these everyday products changed over time? Why are so many people drawn to caffeine and nicotine, and why do they have such a hard time quitting them? This course traces the history of coffee and cigarettes from the 1500s to the present. Readings and discussions range from 16th-century Turkish coffeehouses to 21st-century Starbucks, and from the prohibition by King James I of tobacco to contemporary debates on second-hand smoke. Other historical topics include the discovery and diffusion of coffee and tobacco; the establishment and spread of coffeehouses; early prohibitions on tobacco use; the connections between colonialism and consumer goods; and the medical, economic, and political debates surrounding these products in the 20th century. (TR)

Credits: 1.00
Corequisite: None
Prerequisites: None
Major/Minor Restrictions: None
Class Restriction: No Senior
Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
Liberal Arts CORE: None

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