Although tobacco has been a cash crop in America for a long time, it was first discovered by Mesoamerican people. Tobacco is native to the North and South American continents but wasn’t known to the rest of the world until European explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries discovered tobacco being used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes, as a hallucinogen, for recreation, and in public and spiritual ceremonies across North America, including among Alaskan tribes. Some tribes left the growing, harvesting, and preparation of tobacco to specific groups to maintain traditional flavors and effects. Initially banned by European kings and popes, tobacco was quickly adopted by all economic classes and its popularity among people from all segments of society led to it rapidly becoming a normal part of everyday life throughout the civilized world.
The Impact of Tobacco on North America
Tobacco is one of the first “cash crops” for North America and became the foundation for growth of the North American economy. The tobacco industry helped to create immense wealth throughout the colonies as Europeans emigrated to the colonies and began farming tobacco on small farms and large plantations alike. In 1612, the future husband of Pocahontas, an Englishman named John Rolfe, planted West Indian tobacco seeds in the Jamestown, Virginia area that flourished and produced tobacco that was stronger and sweeter than that which was previously grown in the area. After some was sent to London, the demand for this new tobacco soon grew and by 1617 production had begun in earnest. Tobacco became so important to North American colonial existence that it became the legal currency in Maryland and Virginia for a time. Historian and author of The Story of Tobacco in America Joseph C. Robert wrote, “The discovery that tobacco could be successfully grown and profitably sold was the most momentous single fact in the first century of settlement on the Chesapeake Bay”.
Tobacco has indeed played a vital role in the development of our country and remains a large part of our society today. If you have been looking for a reputable source for top quality, whole leaf tobacco for sale online, contact us today with any questions you have about our product line, or to place a wholesale order. We look forward to providing you with the finest in whole leaf tobacco products for sale online.
