How tea affected the Indigenous population of Canada
Different social strata and gender norms emerged depending on how people drank tea. Canada’s market society was a defining feature of its dealings with indigenous people and non-European immigration (Labrie 2019, p.106). It is important to note, however, that little is known about pre-Confederation Canadian consumer culture outside of European colonies. Sources rely heavily on conversations with eastern United States residents. Across Canada, people were buying and drinking tea even before Confederation in 1867. There was a wide range of reactions to the Canadian market system among the annexing areas.
Before Confederation, the East India Company was Britain’s principal tea importer into Lower and Upper Canada (Ontario and Quebec) (EIC). The East India Company (EIC) was founded in 1600. It expanded its trading operations to China during the late 1700s, with the restriction that EIC merchants could only operate out of the city of Canton (Labrie 2019, p.106). The Company’s monopoly on commerce with China ended in the 1830s when the exclusive system was in effect. To distribute its products in North America, the EIC had been the exclusive business authorized to import products into Britain. By the Commerce and Shipping Acts of 1763, the British Parliament effectively locked in the EIC’s monopoly on tea imports to the North American colonies. As a result, Britain strengthened its foothold in the new region, importing some 200,000 kilograms of tea each year into North America. This represented the highest annual volume for all British colonies combined up to the American Revolution.
Two Things on the Evolution of Tea
The two things I have learned about the evolution of tea are; first, the first settlers’ diets revolved around tea. One account claims that the tea cost ranged from seven to nine shillings per pound (about $1.40 to $1.80). More than three British pounds’ worth of tea was sold in 1771 at John Hook’s Virginian establishments. 16 Everywhere in British North America, people wanted tea, and merchants capitalized on the immigrants’ newfound need for caffeine (Labrie 2019, p.107). Those living in the countryside probably drank less tea each day than those in the cities to make their supplies last. From the morning table, when it was offered with porridge for low-income families or eggs and meat for the upper-middle class, through the evening meal and all the snacks in between, tea was a constant presence.
Secondly, in the early 20th century, tea dominated Canada’s non-alcoholic beverages section of grocery shop receipts. Tea was a common addition to Upper Canadian shoppers’ carts about 1900, often accompanying tobacco (Labrie 2019, p.108). While bulk purchases of tea were less common, there were exceptions. During this era, consumers favored frequent store visits to receive the freshest possible items. When working away from home, laborer’s typically stock up on tea in bulk to avoid running out.
Comparison of Canadian and American tea culture
Tea in America
In the 17th century, the Dutch introduced tea to the Americas. There was a rapid rise in tea consumption in the colony; by the early 1800s, New York City was consuming more tea than the whole of England combined (Labrie 2019, p.108). The French and Indian Wars cost a lot of money. Therefore the British in the 1790s opted to tax their territories excessively on consumer items. Americans were becoming more frustrated with British policies by 1773 when the Boston Tea Party triggered the start of the Revolutionary War.
Tea in Canada
Delivery of tea to Canada took almost a year. Various merchants sold their tea without being confined to a certain number of chests (Labrie 2019, p.109). Tea buyers were at the discretion of unpredictable supply and quality. During the middle of the nineteenth century, while the railway network expanded, tea became more accessible to Canadians.
References
Labrie, N., 2019. Tea as Nation Builder in Pre-Confederation Canada. The Mirror-Undergraduate History Journal, 39(1), pp.106-112.
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