Book details
Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science
Description
When this award-winning husband-and-wife team discovered that they each had sugar in their family history, they were inspired to trace the globe-spanning story of the sweet substance and to seek out the voices of those who led bitter sugar lives. The trail ran like a bright band from religious ceremonies in India to Europe's Middle Ages, then on to Columbus, who brought the first cane cuttings to the Americas. Sugar was the substance that drove the bloody slave trade and caused the loss of countless lives but it also planted the seeds of revolution that led to freedom in the American colonies, Haiti, and France. With songs, oral histories, maps, and over 80 archival illustrations, here is the story of how one product allows us to see the grand currents of world history in new ways. Time line, source notes, bibliography, and index included.
Age
11-12
Text complexity
advanced
Length
176 pages
Why to read
- Educational Insight: The book provides a comprehensive look at the history of sugar, revealing its profound impact on global economics, slavery, and cultural shifts. Reading it offers a chance to understand how a single commodity can shape the world.
- Interdisciplinary Approach: Marc Aronson uses an interdisciplinary method, combining history, economics, sociology, and science to tell the story of sugar. This approach offers readers a multifaceted perspective on the subject matter.
- Engaging Narrative: The authors, Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos, craft an engaging narrative that makes complex historical events and concepts accessible and interesting to a wide audience, including younger readers.
- Relevance to Modern Issues: Understanding the history of sugar and its role in the slave trade provides context for contemporary discussions about trade, labor practices, and dietary health. The book encourages readers to think critically about the origins of everyday products and their ethical implications.