17th–18th centuriesReputable sourceWell documented
A Global Habit: Pipe and Snuff
On the timeline · around 17th–18th centuries ·
What happened
Within a century of Columbus, tobacco had spread around the entire world — carried by traders and sailors to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India, China and beyond. Pipe-smoking and, among the elite, snuff (powdered tobacco) became fashionable everywhere.
Why it matters
Few plants have conquered the globe as fast as tobacco. By the 1700s it was a truly worldwide commodity and a major source of tax revenue for governments.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. A Brief History of Tobacco in the Americas · Reputable source