The history of tea, or tea history, is a long and controversial one. Tea history begins in China over 5,000 years ago. Tea history and tea culture spread throughout China, Japan, and the Orient for many years before British tea and the British tea party were ever heard of. The Dutch were credited with bringing the history and story of tea to Europe through the East India Trading Company.

British tea history and the history of tea rooms and the tea party–as well as scone history–all starts around the 1600s. Scones and tea became popular in British tea rooms during this period in tea’s history, but at first scones and tea were something only for the ultra-rich. But as the Oriental culture grew in popularity in Europe, so did the import of tea throughout tea’s history, driving down the price to where everyone could enjoy British tea and scones in tea rooms and tea parties across Europe and London.

Tea popularity swept across Europe and London in the 1700s, and tea parties could be found in British tea rooms across the country, while scones and tea could be enjoyed across all classes in British tea society. This is the first time in scone and tea history that tea and scones were so readily available in tea rooms and at English tea parties.

Tea history then turns towards the Americas, where British influences were still holding strong in the newly formed colonies. Tea and scones were enjoyed at American tea parties and tea rooms modeled after the British tea rooms. Tea even played an important part in the history of this country. British tea and scones were popular in the US until the British levied a tax on British tea, and of course the Boston Tea Party became a popular symbol of American freedom. In that way, the history of tea and scones, and the history of tea rooms and British tea parties became a symbol of the American revolution through the Boston Tea Party.