Introduction

     Tea is one of the most widely consumed drinks in the world, with a rich history stretching back centuries. It is used in many different traditions spanning many continents, and was the cause of one of the largest acts of industrial espionage in history. In an endeavor to gain a more complete understanding of this popular commodity and how it has helped shape history, I will be reading Sarah Rose's For All the Tea in China: How England Stole the World's Favorite Drink and Changed History. I will be looking at what made tea such a valuable substance and how such a seemingly trivial and straightforward matter as the trading of leaves could become so convoluted.