Chocolate Trivia – A Top Twenty Chocolate Events in History

History is often confusing enough and when something as esoteric as chocolate is discussed
the events leading up to today can become too entangled to unweave. For that reason we
have created a miniature timeline that clearly lists major events in chocolate’s distinguished
history.

20. Sixth Century AD: The cacao seed is used by the Maya culture to make a drink fit for
the gods.

19. 1200: The Aztecs attributed the cacao plant to their god Quetzalcoatl. The drink was
considered to be a health elixir.

18. 1492: Columbus returns from the Americas and presents to King Ferdinand and Queen
Isabella a few dark brown beans that didn’t get much attention.

17. 1502: Columbus landed in Nicaragua and found cacao seeds being used as currency.
Columbus, however, was obsessed with finding a route to India and failed to see how he
could capitalize on the value of the cacao seeds.

16. 1519: Hernan Cortes began a cacao plantation in the name of Spain. Although he didn’t
like the drink itself, he was intrigued by the seed’s value as currency.

15. 1528: Cortes returns to Spain and presents King Charles V with cacao seeds and the
method of preparation. Cortes is known to have taught the king how to make chocolate.

14. 1609: “Libro en el cual se trata del chocolate”, a book entirely devoted to chocolate is
brought from Mexico.

13. 1643: When Spanish Princess, Maria Theresa married Louis XIV of France, she gave
him a gift of chocolates. It was then that the French were introduced to chocolate.

12. 1657: In London, the first chocolate house is opened by a Frenchman. This chocolate
house becomes the meeting place for the elite of London society.

11. 1711: Emperor Charles VI moves his court to Vienna from Madrid, and brought
chocolate with him.

10. 1755: America discovers chocolate.

9. 1765: The first American Chocolate Factory is opened in the USA in Dorchester, MA.

8. 1780: In Barcelona the first machine-made chocolate is created.

7. 1792: While opening a chocolate factory in Berlin, the Josty brothers, make history
selling Swiss Chocolate.

6. 1830: The first industrial manufacturing building dedicated to chocolate is constructed

by Antoine Brutus Menier in Noisel, France. This chocolate powder was used by Menier in
his production of pharmaceuticals.

5. 1830: British chocolate makers, J. S. Fry and Sons, developed the solid chocolate bar.

4. 1851: In London citizens of the U.S. were introduced to chocolate creams for the first
time.

3. 1875: Daniel Peter from Switzerland is finally done experimenting after eight years, and
releases the first milk chocolate.

2. 1923: The Chocolate Manufacturers Association of America (CMA) was established.

1. 1938: The U.S. recognizes chocolate plays a large role in the morale of soldiers, sailors,
and marines. Chocolate is now included in the field rations for the US armed forces and
remains a staple in those rations.