From Hannah Walhout
The use of sugarcane was first perfected in the Arab world
"Perhaps the most notable early discovery of sugarcane comes from the expeditions of Alexander the Great, whose unprecedented military campaign took troops through Asia and Africa," but "it wasn't really until the Persians and Arabs created and perfected the refining of sugar in the 7th century that sugarcane's origins and benefits were studied more thoroughly. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Arabs introduced sugar to the Mediterranean region of Europe."
Empires were built on sugarcane — some were practically founded on it
"The majority of the sugarcane was in Arab territories, where slaves were forced to cultivate cane for distribution throughout Europe. But the Portuguese explored the coast of Africa and discovered the Madeira Islands, Cape Verde, and the Canary Islands in the early 15th century. Sugarcane cultivation was possible here, and the Portuguese could produce sugar without Arab control." This was the beginning of a violent colonial legacy: "The Portuguese enslaved Africans to conduct labor at the 80 sugar mills and 200 plantations in Madeira, which became the world's biggest sugar exporter by 1500."
The history of rum is a history of slavery in the Americas
The sugarcane industry was made possible by slavery — writes Minnick, "slaves planted the sugarcane, fertilized it, cut stalks, and transported it to a mill, where the cane was crushed and juice extracted. They strained the juice and placed it in boiling pots until the sugar was crystallized. Slaves also seined the boiling matter to collect the molasses — the syrupy byproduct from making sugar." Enslaved people may have even developed the rum-making process: "Molasses could be sold and used as a sweetener too, but the fermented molasses was enjoyed by the slaves and by poor whites. At some point, somebody distilled this fermented molasses, and rum was born."
This new, shocking epiphany about rum occurred to me when I was enjoying a tasty Mai tai on vacation a few days ago.
I am beginning to realize that I am a white supremacist. 😉🤣
Are you? In what ways?
Should I start a blog for critical race theorists and wokesters? Make up all kinds of things that are "rooted" in white supremacy and watch them agree. See how gullible people are who take me seriously. Maybe I can go viral and become rich and famous.
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