Tea Drinking in 18th-Century America: Its Etiquette and Equipage United States National Museum Bulletin 225, Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology Paper 14, pages 61-91, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 1961

In the colonies of the 1700s, a simple brew became the centerpiece of polite society. Households that could afford the costly import gathered around a carefully arranged tea table, where the mistress oversaw brewing while guests practiced a discreet choreography of cup‑handling and conversation. The ritual signaled both hospitality and social standing, turning the act of sipping into a subtle display of refinement.

The study walks listeners through the full complement of tea‑time accoutrements—silver teapots, porcelain cups, spindle trays, and even the layout of the table itself—explaining the meanings behind each element. By linking etiquette to the broader currents of fashion, trade, and colonial life, it reveals how a beverage once prized for its medicinal claims evolved into a marker of status. Richly illustrated with period images, the narrative offers a vivid glimpse into the daily rhythms of an age where a cup of tea could speak louder than words.