British Empire of a Foreign DrinkBritish Empire of a Foreign Drink

Map Creator: Xufeng Ma

Tea has been a drink deeply related to British culture for a long time, but it took a lot of work for tea to be blended into British daily life. This map captures where British got their tea from between the 1650s and the 1920s. Throughout time, British tea business gradually transformed from importation from Chinese Canton system and smuggling through Amsterdam, to planting British-owned tea in its colonies. And with the help of all the retailers, planters, merchants and companies, British empire of tea was built and lasts till current days.