Chocolate is made from the beans of the cacao tree, which is indigenous to the rainforests of the Americas. First cultivated by the Maya and Aztec, the cacao tree was discovered over 2,000 years ago. The cacao beans were used to make spiced chocolate drinks for important members of society. Spanish conquerors took cacao beans from the Aztecs and brought them back to Europe in the 1500s. Over the next century, chocolate spread throughout Europe, quickly becoming a favorite.
The very first people to discover cacao were the Maya, who took the cacao tree from the rainforest and planted it in their backyards to grow and harvest the cacao beans. The Mayans would grind the beans into a paste, adding water, cornmeal, and chili peppers to make a spicy yet bitter chocolate drink. The Maya had no access to sugar, so the first chocolate beverages (known as chocolatl) were not sweet. Around 1400, the Aztecs discovered cacao through trade with the Maya. The Aztecs even used the cacao beans as a form of currency, demanding that citizens and conquered peoples supply cacao beans as payment.
The Evolution of Chocolate in Europe
In both Aztec and Maya religious ceremonies, priests would offer cacao beans to the gods, and chocolate drinks were served during these rituals. For the Maya, chocolate drinks were consumed by everyone occasionally but were often reserved for royalty. In Aztec society, only rulers, soldiers, and other high-status individuals could drink the chocolate beverage.
Spanish conquistadors reached Mexico around 1521, where they observed the consumption of chocolate among the Aztec people. The Spaniards recognized the value of the cacao bean and brought it back to Europe, where it was served to European royalty. However, when the cacao was shipped back to Europe, the Aztec drink was too bitter for European tastes, so they added sugar cane, vanilla, and even cinnamon, and began heating the chocolate concoction to be enjoyed warm. Cacao beans were initially an expensive import, making the chocolate drink a status symbol among the European upper class, who drank it from elaborate porcelain and silver cups. Eventually, as the price of cacao beans dropped, the chocolate beverage became widely popular.
To keep up with demand for cacao beans, the Spanish established colonial plantations using slaves and wage laborers to grow and harvest cacao and sugar cane. Small European shops began making chocolate drinks, and in 1847, a company called Fry & Sons introduced solid chocolate. Then, in 1876, Daniel Peter of Switzerland developed a way to add milk to chocolate, giving it a sweeter flavor and smoother texture, thus creating milk chocolate. The introduction of steam engines during the Industrial Revolution of the 1700s allowed large amounts of cacao beans to be processed into solid chocolate. This mass production method made chocolate affordable for the first time, bringing it to the general public.
As chocolate became more inexpensive, manufacturers began advertising it heavily to women and children. Chocolate for breakfast was promoted as a way to provide a boost of energy, and many people began using it in desserts and confections.
Today, most chocolate is processed and manufactured by machinery, but cacao beans are still farmed and harvested much like they were by the Aztecs and Maya—by hand. In 1910, William Cadbury brought together a group of American and English chocolate companies that refused to buy chocolate from cacao plantations with harsh working conditions. However, some cacao plantations, particularly in West Africa, still use slave labor when cacao bean prices fall.
Chocolate is still associated with holidays such as Easter and Christmas, and is enjoyed worldwide. It is also provided as a ration for the United States military and was introduced to Japan during World War II. Additionally, chocolate is used in medicines and cosmetics. It continues to be studied for potential health benefits and has been found to provide flavonoids and antioxidants that protect the body from disease.
Many chocolate companies have come and gone, but a few manufacturers—such as Cadbury, Hershey, and Mars—remain, all of which began in the late 1800s to early 1900s.
A tale beginning in the depths of the American rainforests over 2,000 years ago, the history of chocolate includes religious worship, slavery, high-society snobbery, and a transformation in production methods that made chocolate available to the masses. The same cacao bean that was so highly regarded by the Maya and Aztecs still remains a beloved treat in modern society.
