Hello, my name is Holly Micklem. I am doing my blog on the geography of chocolate.

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The History of Chocolate

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The History of Chocolate Chocolate is definitely something that is part of daily life. Many of us might say we can not live without chocolate. However how many of us have actually stopped and thought about where this wonderful creation began. Historians have estimated that chocolate has been around for about 2,000 years. However many scientists believe it may even date back to 1400BC.  The history of chocolate begins in Mesoamerica which was a region in the Americas. The cacao tree is native in Mesoamerica and cacao was used extensively. The Mesoamericans first cultivated the cacao plants. They roasted and ground the beans into a paste which they mixed with water, vanilla, honey, chilli peppers and other spices to brew a frothy chocolate drink that was quite bitter. The Myan people and the Aztecs both believed the cacao bean had divine or magical properties and used it in sacred rituals. The cacao beans even became a form of currency in the Aztec Empire. Records from the Spani
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Chocolate's Involvement in War

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Chocolate's Involvement in War Sainsbury's Christmas Truce Advert While the message of the video above is nothing really to do with chocolate, it is important to understand that the gesture made by the British soldier was huge, not only because he was a Brit giving chocolate to a German, but also because chocolate was rationed during WW1 so chocolate would not have been easy to get. In many wars throughout history, chocolate has offered soldiers fighting, a small comfort in times of great fear. In America during the Revolutionary War, chocolate was so highly valued that it was included in the soldiers' rations. During WW1 Cadbury helped to support the war effort by providing clothing, books and chocolate to soldiers and more than 2,000 of Cadbury's employees joined the Armed Forces. During WW2, Cadbury's Bournville factory was used for the war by producing seats for fighter aircraft. Chocolate was placed under government supervision for the whole of WW2. T
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The Influence of Chocolate Around the World

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The Influence of Chocolate Around the World A huge number of countries produce cacao beans and there are approximately 4.5 million cacao farms around the world. The current value of the annual global crop of cacao is 5.1 billion dollars. Almost all countries that produce cacao beans are developing countries and almost all countries that consume chocolate are industrialised countries. The top 4 producers of cacao beans are the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana and Indonesia. The demand for chocolate is increasing. For the last century demand has increased by 3% each year. It is estimated that the demand for chocolate will double by 2050. This puts increasing pressure on farmers to produce a more cacao beans and at a quicker pace as well. Climate change has caused longer drought seasons which makes it more difficult for farmers to plant and sustain cacao trees. Traditional cacao farms plant cacao trees in the shade among other plants and trees. However, to increase the quantity of bean
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