Tobacco

However it was never cultivated or smoked till very much later (1 BCE). Tobacco soon spread however and by 1 CE it was all over the American continent. The first pictorial record of the consumption of tobacco dates back from 600-1000 CE in Uaxactun, Guatemala. Here was discovered a piece of pottery on which is a Mayan who is drawn smoking rolled up tobacco tied up with a string. These customs where not discovered by Europeans until 1492 the year that Columbus landed amongst the Americas. Columbus was one of the first to observe this now ancient native custom of smoking tobacco. "On this bright morning Columbus and his men set foot on the New World for the first time, landing on the beach of San Salvador Island or Samana Cay in the Bahamas, or Gran Turk Island. The indigenous Arawaks, possibly thinking the strange visitors divine, offer gifts. Columbus wrote in his journal, .
             the natives brought fruit, wooden spears, and certain dried leaves which gave off a distinct fragrance. .
             As each item seemed much-prized by the natives; Columbus accepted the gifts and ordered them brought back to the ship. The fruit was eaten; the pungent "dried leaves" were thrown away." Soon after it was discovered by Columbus, Rodrigo de Jerez and Luis de Torres become the first European smokers. They soon brought their customs home and were arrested for its disturbing appearance. A few years after, they were released and smoking became a full out craze all over Spain. Then in 1542 Tobacco cultivation began for commercial export in Brazil by the Portuguese. Soon after, Tobacco began to grow all over the world. .
             As tobacco spread as a fad, its demand grew widely and it began as an industry. In 1776 Tobacco helped to provide the finances needed for the revolution by severing as collateral for loans provided by the French. In 1847 the Phillip Morris company began, still around today, selling hand rolled Turkish cigarettes.