ALCOHOL
Alcohol has been around for many many years. Alcohol consumption dates back to 7000-6600 B.C. where there is evidence of residues in old pottery jars in northern China. (Andrew Curry, 2017))In 3000 to 2000 B.C the Sumerians in Mesopotamia made beer, there are some 20 different beer recipes recorded on clay tablets. (Dan Wagner, 2019) Many people used alcohol for sacrificial & reglious reasons and in treatement for many medical ailments ,reduce degeneration from old age , diarrhea, childbirth pains and keeping wounds clean. The Greeks had some of the first vineyards in production of wine. Romans followed in this and began to export wine used as currency for slave labor. (Dan Wagner, 2019) Chinese people belived alcohol was the best of all medicine.Ancient Egyptians had bread and beer as their daily diet and was paid compensation for a days work with 3 rations of beer. Chinese were the first to distill spirits with yeast-fermented bases. (Dan Wager, 2019)When the English came to America , the colonists began brewing their ownbeer using malted barley shipped from England. In 1654 Massachussetts laws prohibited against brewing alcohol and banning alcohol for payment which caused a big labor strike. (Dan Wagner, 2019)Many cultures celebrated with alcohol.
Booze in American History. Retrieved from www.foodandwineaesthetics.com
Begining in the 17th Century Americans began drinking Rum. American consumed an average of 5.8 gallons per day. (Dan Wagner, 2019) During 1791, people were being forced to pay a whisky tax also known as the whisky tax of 1791 which made people in Pennsylvania furious. The people of Pennsylania began to protest and in 1802 Thomas Jefferson repealed the tax. In 1860 , the United States produced aound 88 million gallons of alcohol a year. The civil war brought more continued use of alcohol as nurses used it for medications to wounded men and a means of sedation.(Dan Wagner, 2019)Many continued to use alcohol for celbrations such as the 4th of July and New Years Eve.
Many cultures celebrated with alcohol.In the19th century the Prohibition act of banning the manufacturing & selling alcohol gained popularity. (Dan Wagner, 2019)During this time many began to abuse alcohol with cause a high rate of violent war crime such as rape. Liguor was blamed for many abuse crimes. The 1919 Volstead Act said that alcohol could only be produced/sold for medical or relgious reasons and can only be consumed in a persons home if bought legally. (Dan Wagner, 2019) The 21st Amendment ended prohibition in 1933.
Alcohol is a depressant. Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol)is only used in beverages made by fermentation of grain & fruits.Chemical process yeasts act upon certain ingredients in the food creating alcohol.(Drinkaware, 2019)Barley and rye fermented make beer and spirits while fermented fruits make wine & cider. (Drinkaware, 2019) There are many types of alcohol and they all contail different percentages of content. (Amanda Lantieri, 2020) The following is the alcohol percentages content in different beverages.
Booze in American History. Retrieved from www.foodandwineaesthetics.com
Begining in the 17th Century Americans began drinking Rum. American consumed an average of 5.8 gallons per day. (Dan Wagner, 2019) During 1791, people were being forced to pay a whisky tax also known as the whisky tax of 1791 which made people in Pennsylvania furious. The people of Pennsylania began to protest and in 1802 Thomas Jefferson repealed the tax. In 1860 , the United States produced aound 88 million gallons of alcohol a year. The civil war brought more continued use of alcohol as nurses used it for medications to wounded men and a means of sedation.(Dan Wagner, 2019)Many continued to use alcohol for celbrations such as the 4th of July and New Years Eve.
Many cultures celebrated with alcohol.In the19th century the Prohibition act of banning the manufacturing & selling alcohol gained popularity. (Dan Wagner, 2019)During this time many began to abuse alcohol with cause a high rate of violent war crime such as rape. Liguor was blamed for many abuse crimes. The 1919 Volstead Act said that alcohol could only be produced/sold for medical or relgious reasons and can only be consumed in a persons home if bought legally. (Dan Wagner, 2019) The 21st Amendment ended prohibition in 1933.
Alcohol is a depressant. Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol)is only used in beverages made by fermentation of grain & fruits.Chemical process yeasts act upon certain ingredients in the food creating alcohol.(Drinkaware, 2019)Barley and rye fermented make beer and spirits while fermented fruits make wine & cider. (Drinkaware, 2019) There are many types of alcohol and they all contail different percentages of content. (Amanda Lantieri, 2020) The following is the alcohol percentages content in different beverages.
- Vodka - ABV: 40-95% Gin - ABV: 36-50%
- Whiskey - ABV: 36-50% Tequila - ABV: 50-51%
- Liqueurs -ABV: 15% Fortified Wine - ABV: 16-24%
- Unfortified Wine - ABV: 14-16% Beer - ABV: 4-8%
- Malt Beverage - ABV: 15% Rum -ABV: 36-50%
- Different types of alcohol are linked to different emotions in a drinker. Retrieved from www.couiermail.com
- Alcohol slows down the way you function causing an inability to think clearly if consumed in large amounts. Alcohol is consumed through a person drinking it.Your liver can metabolize one drink per hour which varies person to person depending on your weight, age, liver function and gender. (Nicole Manico, 2020) More than one drink per hour can lead to intoxication raising a persons blood alcohol content also known as BAC. A person can suffer from both phsical & psychological effects of alcohol use. Mild conditions consist of skin flushing, passin out, vomitting, loss or coordination, mood swings and dulled perceptions to name a few. (Nicole Manico, 2020) More long term effects include Dimisished grey & white matter on the brain , memory loss, loss of attention span, trouble learning, liver fibrosis, cancers (Such as mouth, throat, breast, liver, esophaheal) stroke , and alcoholic hepatitis. (Nicole Manico, 2020)
Drinking is more popular than ever around the world. Some are able to drink moderately while many suffer from problem drinking that can lead to alcholism. It is important ot educate yourself on the effect alcohol has on the body and so important not to consume more than nessary.
Here is some links to some great articles invoving the effects of consuming alcohol:
Alcohol & Memory loss
Alcohol Poisoning
References:
Andrew Curry (2017) National Geographic: Our 9,000 Year Love Affair With Booze. Retrieved from www.nationalgeographic.com
Amanda Lantieri (January 29, 2020) The Alcohol Percentage Contents of Various Beverages. Retieved from www.sunrisehouse.com
Dan Wagner (November 2019) The History of Alcohol Throughout the World. Retrieved from www.recovery.org
Drinkaware (2019) Whats Alcohol , Ingredients, Chemicals & Manufacture. Retrieved from www.drinkaware.com
Nicole: Your blog on alcohol was very educational and enlightening. The visual effects were a nice addition as were the links to the other sites. I had no idea that alcohol consumption dated that far back in time. It’s amazing to see the different concentrations of alcohol in different beverages. It is definitely true that different types are linked to different responses in people. I’ve heard of people saying they can’t drink whiskey because it makes them mean, or some people get very emotional after drinking beer.
ReplyDeleteWhat is really shocking to me is that we actually drink a liquid that was considered a medication and used to clean wounds! Although many think that marijuana is the gateway drug, I believe it is actually alcohol. Now that alcoholism has changed to become alcohol abuse disorder, people with alcohol problems can receive treatment without the fear of negative social consequences or stigma. Really enjoyed your blog!
Here is a great article highlighting the history of rum in the United States during prohibition you might enjoy.
Harris, K. (2019). Rum runners: A short, but profitable prohibition-era career. History Daily. Retrieved from https://historydaily.org/rum-runners-a-short-but-profitable-prohibition-era-career
Nicole: Your blog was very informational as I hadn't realized or even thought to see how far back alcohol dates. Prior to reading this blog I would think it was sometime in the 1950s that alcohol became a "thing". To know how far it dates back and the original reasons and the impact it has on one's body has me completely mesmerized and in awwwww. It's always interesting to know the why and the how behind things you do in your every day life. My spouse drinks as a wind down in the evening and I only drink while I'm out.
ReplyDeleteOne thing about alcohol that I find interesting is that its consumable as well as used to clean out wounds. Weird when we think of it like that. Why would we want to drink it??? A question there is no right or wrong answer to.
It is interesting to think about how easily accessible alcohol is. For a substance that has so much of an impact on a persons abilities to function, and has the ability to be super addictive, you would think there would be more restriction. While people under 21 can't buy it, most of them have access to it some other way. And it is so normal to drink alcohol that telling someone you don't drink is often answered with confused looks or "why..." In my family we have a history of alcohol abuse on both sides so I don't drink often. I will drink occasionally, and I have never felt the need to become dependent on it but I know the risks, so I try to limit my intake. When I was younger, I would go out with friends and they would be drinking excessively and if I didn't also engage in that behavior I was basically chastised for those decisions. I believe that one of the biggest reasons that alcohol is even legal is because it can be taxed, and in turn provides revenue for the government.
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