Tobacco has a long, rich history behind it. From peace pipes to plantations, a lot has led to the culture that surrounds this smoky pastime today. Whether you are looking to buy a water pipe or the best tobacco pipes in Westminster, Colorado, take a look at this brief history of smoking before you make your purchase. The First Uses of Tobacco It’s believed that tobacco was used for centuries by people indigenous to the Americas. In fact, there is evidence that shamans used tobacco as early as 5000 BC. Native Americans planted tobacco and then dried and smoked it for medicinal and ceremonial purposes. When used for medicinal purposes, tobacco was usually chewed or ground up to make a paste. Tobacco was often smoked for social purposes and religious ceremonies. When Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas, he was introduced to this custom and even took a few leaves and seeds back to Europe with him. During the mid-16th century, a Frenchman named Jean Nicot, after whom nicotine was named, began to make tobacco more popular. It slowly began to spread across Europe. In 1556, tobacco hit France. Then it was introduced to Portugal in 1558, Spain in 1559, and England in 1565. In the Americas, the first successful commercial tobacco crop was planted in Virginia by John Wolfe. It was planted in 1612 and within a decade, it was the largest export on the continent. Tobacco’s rapid growth increased the demand for slave labor in North America. Tobacco’s Popularity Grows Tobacco was first grown as a way to produce a chewing good, snuff, or materials to put into pipes. Cigars weren’t popular until the 1800s. While cigarettes had been smoked in a rudimentary form since the 1600s, they didn’t catch on in the United States until much later. After the Civil War, “bright” tobacco, or a cured yellow leaf traditionally grown in North Carolina and Virginia, became popular. People began smoking it in cigarettes. Later, the White Burley tobacco leaf caused cigarette sales to rise even more. James Buchanan Duke took advantage of the sales and sponsored the production of the first cigarette-making machine in the late 1800s. Over time, the popularity of tobacco grew and grew. During the world wars, rations of cigarettes were provided to each soldier. This was a treat for most of them and considered a luxury. Whether chewed, smoked in a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, smoking provided economic and social benefits for many people. Later, iconic figures such as the Marlboro Man became household names as smoking became a staple for every housewife, businessman, and even young adults. Because of tobacco, the southern states flourished during the 1800s, building an economic climate that set up the United States for success. The legacy left by tobacco is one that is still appreciated today. Whether you enjoy shopping for the best tobacco pipes in Westminster, Colorado, or lighting up the occasional cigarette, one thing is for sure: Without tobacco and the rich history behind it, America would be a very different place.
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