The Invention of Rum in a Era of Revolution

Jordan Smith, assistant professor of History at Widener University, presents a new story of how rum was invented, made, sold, and consumed in the Atlantic world, and how those developments intersected with the American Revolution. He'll introduce you to a commodity that itself revolutionized the Atlantic world in large part due to its ubiquity and affordability, and will home in on various moments in the leadup, course, and aftermath of the American Revolution when the market for — and meanings embedded within — rum shaped the age of revolutions. The talk builds on Jordan’s 2025 book, "The Invention of Rum: Creating the Quintessential Atlantic Commodity." Join us in person or via Zoom (see above).

The William L. Clements Library; the University of Michigan Library, Special Collections Research Center; and the U.S. at 250 program invite you to join this first lecture in a three-part series titled "Drinking the Revolution," exploring the role of beverages in Revolutionary America and the Early Republic.