Orgin of chocolate - Research Paper Example

The development of chocolate has led to the development of various, delicacies where is used as an additive and a booming business around the world on this account. Cultivation of cacao has been going on for more than three thousand years or even a bit more. Before the actual cultivation of the cacao plant began, these seeds were gathered from wild cacao trees that were growing inside heavy canopy rainy forests. Then later on there were development of cacao tree plantations that were done in the canopy forests.

People from northwestern South America first utilized cacao, the current Venezuela since the tree is native to this region of the world. The Olmec civilization that dates 3500 to 2500 years ago used these beverages to fortify soldiers in battle and during marches1. These people valued cacao highly and was spread northward through trading with the neighbors. It was moved to the present Mexico, which was known as Yucatan by the Maya about 1500 years ago. Aztecs after acquiring this product from the Maya urns, they used it in a number of ways with the most common use being of a bitter spice in food.

Up to the sixteenth century, the Europeans did not know the drink from South and Central America. August 15 the 1502, is the first time that Christopher Columbus encountered the beans during his fourth visit to the Americas2. On this date, Columbus and his crew grabbed a large canoe that contained the beans among other goods that were for trade. However, these beans had no impact in Spain after he returned until they were introduced the Spanish courts. Henan Cortes is believed to be the first European to encounter.

He did so after they conquered Mexico in the year 1519 a time when women who did so with a lot of reverence served him with chocolate. It was believed to give one power over women he took it, a believe that Bernal Diaz, who accompanied Cortes to Mexico did not agree with. After the Spanish