Did slaves invent rum?

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. At some point, somebody distilled this fermented molasses, and rum was born."

Who invented rum first?

Rums originated in the West Indies and are first mentioned in records from Barbados in about 1650. They were called “kill-devil” or “rumbullion” and by 1667 were simply called rum.

How did rum get invented?

Plantation slaves discovered that molasses, a by-product of the sugar refining process, could be fermented into alcohol. Then, distillation of these alcoholic byproducts concentrated the alcohol, and removed some impurities, producing the first modern rums.

What was rum used for in Africa?

In the end, all these developments led to a secondary “triangular trade” forming in the new world: merchants would trade American rum for African slaves, sell them to plantation masters in the West Indies (the Caribbean islands) for sugar and molasses, which would then buy them fresh rum in the colonies.

Did Jamaica invent rum?

Did Jamaicans Invent Rum? Rum is one of the world's oldest and most versatile spirits, with a fascinating background. Although the precise origin of this liquid gold is unknown, many experts believe it was developed in Jamaica.

A Brief History of Rum

Is all rum from Jamaica?

Today, only four distilleries operate in Jamaica: Hampden Estate, Appleton Estate, Worthy Park Estate, and National Rums of Jamaica.

Who brought rum to Jamaica?

Its origins go all the way back to 1655, the year when the English captured Jamaica from the Spaniards. Appleton Estate was an established rum-producing sugar plantation by the year 1749, and has been in continuous operation for two and a half centuries.

How did rum affect slavery?

Rum drinking offered a momentary escape from harsh labor regimens and the general anxieties of life on sugar estates. Rum, therefore, helped enslaved peoples temporarily transcend the physical bonds of slavery, which elevated its symbolic value in resistance ideologies.

What alcohol did slaves drink?

The selling and trading of enslaved Africans, molasses (which most rum is made from), and rum itself was a lifeline in keeping the slave trade alive and well. As this was happening, laws were also being passed to prevent Black Americans (enslaved or free) from being able to drink alcohol.

How did slaves create 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.

Did slaves make their own alcohol?

in which slaves obtained alcohol outside of the special occasions on which their masters allowed them to drink it. Some female house slaves were assigned to brew cider, beer, and/or brandy on their plantations.

Did the Irish invent rum?

Although more synonymous with the British, we can be sure the Irish played their role in producing some of the earliest expressions of rum. What was originally referred to as Kill-Devil, would later become more refined and produced en masse.

Why did Pirates drink rum?

Pirates drank it to prevent diseases such as scurvy, the flu, and to eliminate stress. Rum was inexpensive and it quickly became popular among sailors and in the pirate community. In fact, the seafaring explorers and conquerors soon began consuming it in industrial quantities.

Why is rum called rum?

The origin of the word rum is unclear. The name may have derived from rumbullion meaning “a great tumult or uproar”. Some claim that the name is from the large drinking glasses used by Dutch seamen known as rummers. Other options include contractions of the words saccharum, latin for sugar, or arôme, French for aroma.

Is rum the oldest spirit?

1.Rum is the Oldest Spirit in the World

The first rum distillation took place in the Caribbean in the 1620s, this led to rum being the first alcohol to be manufactured and distilled. It was also the first spirit that was drank for pleasure and that was not used for medical purposes.

Who invented vodka?

According to a legend, around 1430, a monk named Isidore from Chudov Monastery inside the Moscow Kremlin made a recipe of the first Russian vodka. Having a special knowledge and distillation devices, he became the creator of a new, higher quality type of alcoholic beverage.

How did slaves get alcohol?

During this time, owners made bets that an enslaved African could drink more whiskey than any other. They encouraged enslaved Africans to get drunk and they discour- aged them from doing anything that might be viewed as construc- tive. Large numbers of enslaved Africans drank until they passed out.

What alcohol did Americans drink 1776?

During the colonial era, rum was the preferred alcoholic drink of American colonists. By one estimate, colonists consumed 3.7 gallons annually per head by the time of the American Revolution.

What did slaves do for fun?

During their limited leisure hours, particularly on Sundays and holidays, slaves engaged in singing and dancing. Though slaves used a variety of musical instruments, they also engaged in the practice of "patting juba" or the clapping of hands in a highly complex and rhythmic fashion.

What did American slaves eat?

Weekly food rations -- usually corn meal, lard, some meat, molasses, peas, greens, and flour -- were distributed every Saturday. Vegetable patches or gardens, if permitted by the owner, supplied fresh produce to add to the rations. Morning meals were prepared and consumed at daybreak in the slaves' cabins.

What did slaves do in the winter?

In his 1845 Narrative, Douglass wrote that slaves celebrated the winter holidays by engaging in activities such as "playing ball, wrestling, running foot-races, fiddling, dancing, and drinking whiskey" (p.

Why is rum Jamaican?

Jamaican Funk. Jamaica has a long and rich rum history. The spirit was first introduced to the island by Christopher Columbus in 1494. By around 1655, Britain had taken over from the Spanish and with this, the colonists brought rum production from Barbados.

What rum is only sold in Jamaica?

Jamaican White Overproof Rum has the reputation of being the finest in the world and is a part of everyday life on the island. The white rum is dry, light-bodied, clear-coloured and slightly sweet in taste. It is made from the by-product of sugar cane grown on the island.

Why is rum so popular in the Caribbean?

Independently of the Caribbean, other parts of the world originated their own fermented sugar based drinks, but it is Caribbean rum that came to dominate – mainly because of its role in the 17th century global economy controlled by colonial European nations.