Prompt Cast
The History of Alcohol Consumption in Early America
TLDR Despite their strict religious beliefs, early Americans consumed large quantities of alcohol, with rum, cider, and whiskey being the most popular drinks. Alcohol consumption in America peaked in the 18th and early 19th centuries, leading to the rise of the Temperance Movement and eventually the 18th Amendment, but today Americans drink much less.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Early Americans consumed more alcohol than any other people in human history, despite their strict religious beliefs.
01:45
Early Americans consumed alcohol instead of water because it was considered safer, and rum was the most popular drink in colonial America.
03:11
Rum, cider, and whiskey were the most popular drinks in colonial America, with rum being imported from the Caribbean and becoming an early part of American democracy, cider being produced locally using apple orchards brought over by English settlers, and whiskey eventually surpassing rum in popularity as the country expanded westward.
04:36
Whiskey became popular in early America because it was easier to ship and commanded a higher price than crops like corn or wheat, leading to the establishment of distilleries and the production of over 2 million gallons of whiskey per year by 1810.
06:01
Early Americans consumed a significant amount of alcohol, as evidenced by a party held by George Washington in 1787 where each attendee drank an average of 2 bottles of wine, a bottle of beer cider, and at least a half a dozen shots of hard liquor.
07:40
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, alcohol consumption in America was pervasive and crossed all societal lines, with the average adult man consuming the equivalent of 16 to 18 gallons per year of 90-proof alcohol.
09:16
Alcohol consumption in the United States peaked around 1820, leading to the rise of the Temperance Movement and eventually the 18th Amendment, but today Americans drink much less and rank 45th in the world in alcohol consumption.
