Spread of Coffee & its Impact
6.
5.
4.
3.
This map traces the spread of coffee from Ethiopia to regions in the Middle East and Europe. Each numbered marker represents a place where coffee arrived and began influencing local culture. Click on a marker to learn how coffee reached that location and how it shaped social life and cultural practices there.
2.
1.
Origin
6. London - 17th Century
The coffeehouses attracted merchants, writers, political thinkers, and even ordinary people, something that the ruling kings often didn't support. In fact, King Charles II made an attempt to ban coffee in 1675.
Coffee reached London in the mid 17th century, mainly due to expanding trade networks. English coffeehouses became known as "penny universities", since customers could engage in thoughtful conversations for the price of one cup.
Coffeehouses also helped shape public discourse and even played a role in the spread of revolutionary ideas. Because people of any social standing were allowed in, they became associated with equality.
1. The Origin of Coffee - Ethiopia
Coffee is believed to have originated in the highlands of Ethiopia, where locals consumed it in food or drink form. From there, it crossed the Red Sea to Yemen through trade networks in the 15th century. Traders and relgious communities then began cultivating and brewing coffee, helping it spread through Islamic trade routes into the Middle East and eventually Europe.
According to popular legend, a goat herder named Kaldi discovered coffee after noticing that his goats became energetic when they ate red berries from a certain shrub. He then brought the berries to a local religious figure, who figured out that they could be made into a drink.
4. Istanbul - 16th Century
Coffee entered Istanbul through Ottoman trade expansion in the 16th century. Since the empire controlled many major trade routes, coffee quickly became integrated into everyday life. In the city, coffeehouses flourished. They served as places for storytelling, intellectual conversations, and exchanges of culture. Coffee was soon a major part of the culture of Istanbul, having a major impact on the social structures and norms of the area.
3. Mecca & Cairo - 16th Century
Coffee reached Mecca and Cairo through pilgrimage routes and merchant travel. As more and more travelers carried the drink with them, the idea of the coffeehouse began to emerge. These were public spaces where people could meet, discuss recent events, and exchange ideas. This eventually led to bans from political and religious leaders who didn't like the idea of anyone being able to enter freely. Even so, coffeehouses became an extremely important aspect of urban culture, showing the social impacts the drink brought along.
2. Yemen - 15th Century
Coffee spread from Ethiopia to Yemen in the 15th century through trade on the Red Sea. In Yemen, Sufi Muslim communities began cultivating coffee and brewing it as a drink. It soon became integrated into daily life and transformed into an important cultural aspect of the area. Later, Yemen's port City, Mocha, became a hub for exporting coffee. This allowed the drink to enter into wider trade networks.
The traditional coffee ceremony in Yemen is known as "qahwa"
5. Venice - 17th Century
Coffee houses were often called "schools of wisdom" for their academic and literary importance to the world.
Mediterranean trade between Venetian merchants and the Ottoman Empire brought coffee to Venice in the early 17th century. Initially, coffee was viewed with suspicion due to its close ties with the Islamic world. However, it eventually gained popularity and acceptance. When Venetian coffeehouses appeared, Europeans were introduced to a new social space, one that was centered around conversation and trade. These cafes were open to everyone and often hosted great philosophers and scientists. This marked coffee's first introduction to European society, and it would continue to play a large role for many years after.
Spread of Coffee & its Impact
Mila Stanko
Created on March 3, 2026
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Essential Map
View
Akihabara Map
View
Discover Your AI Assistant
View
Match the Verbs in Spanish: Present and Past
View
Syllabus Organizer for Higher Education
View
Visual Thinking Infographic
View
Pollution Post
Explore all templates
Transcript
Spread of Coffee & its Impact
6.
5.
4.
3.
This map traces the spread of coffee from Ethiopia to regions in the Middle East and Europe. Each numbered marker represents a place where coffee arrived and began influencing local culture. Click on a marker to learn how coffee reached that location and how it shaped social life and cultural practices there.
2.
1.
Origin
6. London - 17th Century
The coffeehouses attracted merchants, writers, political thinkers, and even ordinary people, something that the ruling kings often didn't support. In fact, King Charles II made an attempt to ban coffee in 1675.
Coffee reached London in the mid 17th century, mainly due to expanding trade networks. English coffeehouses became known as "penny universities", since customers could engage in thoughtful conversations for the price of one cup.
Coffeehouses also helped shape public discourse and even played a role in the spread of revolutionary ideas. Because people of any social standing were allowed in, they became associated with equality.
1. The Origin of Coffee - Ethiopia
Coffee is believed to have originated in the highlands of Ethiopia, where locals consumed it in food or drink form. From there, it crossed the Red Sea to Yemen through trade networks in the 15th century. Traders and relgious communities then began cultivating and brewing coffee, helping it spread through Islamic trade routes into the Middle East and eventually Europe.
According to popular legend, a goat herder named Kaldi discovered coffee after noticing that his goats became energetic when they ate red berries from a certain shrub. He then brought the berries to a local religious figure, who figured out that they could be made into a drink.
4. Istanbul - 16th Century
Coffee entered Istanbul through Ottoman trade expansion in the 16th century. Since the empire controlled many major trade routes, coffee quickly became integrated into everyday life. In the city, coffeehouses flourished. They served as places for storytelling, intellectual conversations, and exchanges of culture. Coffee was soon a major part of the culture of Istanbul, having a major impact on the social structures and norms of the area.
3. Mecca & Cairo - 16th Century
Coffee reached Mecca and Cairo through pilgrimage routes and merchant travel. As more and more travelers carried the drink with them, the idea of the coffeehouse began to emerge. These were public spaces where people could meet, discuss recent events, and exchange ideas. This eventually led to bans from political and religious leaders who didn't like the idea of anyone being able to enter freely. Even so, coffeehouses became an extremely important aspect of urban culture, showing the social impacts the drink brought along.
2. Yemen - 15th Century
Coffee spread from Ethiopia to Yemen in the 15th century through trade on the Red Sea. In Yemen, Sufi Muslim communities began cultivating coffee and brewing it as a drink. It soon became integrated into daily life and transformed into an important cultural aspect of the area. Later, Yemen's port City, Mocha, became a hub for exporting coffee. This allowed the drink to enter into wider trade networks.
The traditional coffee ceremony in Yemen is known as "qahwa"
5. Venice - 17th Century
Coffee houses were often called "schools of wisdom" for their academic and literary importance to the world.
Mediterranean trade between Venetian merchants and the Ottoman Empire brought coffee to Venice in the early 17th century. Initially, coffee was viewed with suspicion due to its close ties with the Islamic world. However, it eventually gained popularity and acceptance. When Venetian coffeehouses appeared, Europeans were introduced to a new social space, one that was centered around conversation and trade. These cafes were open to everyone and often hosted great philosophers and scientists. This marked coffee's first introduction to European society, and it would continue to play a large role for many years after.