Religion

Drinks played a role in the religions of various cultures over the history of mankind. Especially in the days of antiquity, drinks were directly linked to religion, worship and to the gods. Rituals of the Egyptians and Sumerians in Mesopotamia indicate that beer was an important part of their religious worship. They held the belief that beer was a gift from the gods which explains the many references to beer in descriptions of their religious rites.

Many cultures believed that alcoholic drinks contained supernatural properties. The American colonists exploited this belief that was common among the Native American tribes when the nation was just forming. In order to be at an advantage in dealings over products or land, Americans would ply the Native Americans with whiskey to dull their wits and reduce the effectiveness of their negotiating skills.

The Native Americans believed that whiskey, like hallucinogenic plants found...