Chewing Gum

We think of chewing gum as a modern American invention. But this is only partly true. For thousands of years people have chewed gum resin, a juice collected from trees. In mexico, for example, Indians have long chewed chicle, the gum resin from the sapodilla tree.

In 1850 mexco anf the united states fought a war over texas. General Antonio lopez de santa anna led the Mexican soldiers. When mexico lost the war, santa anna had to leave his country. He went to live in new york and he took with him a large amount of chicle.

An American inventor, Thomas adam, bought some chicle from santa anna. He wanted to make the chicle into rubber but his plan failed. Adam then decided that chicle was better as something to chew. In 1871 he made and sold the first gum balls. These gum balls were a great success.

Then, in the 1890s, a man named William Wrigley first made chewing gum as we know it today. William Wrigley had little education or money, but he had an idea. He madi gum into flat sticks and added special flavors. Today, wrigley’s spearmint gum and juicy fruit gum ate among the most popular chewing gims in America.

How did modern chewing gum spread from the united states to other countries? During world war 1 and world war ii, the u.s. army found that chewing gum kept soldiers from getting thirsty. So American soldiers were given chewing gum each day. The soldiers who fought in Europe often gave gum to the people they met. Gum became as popular as it was in the united states. Today, of course, chewing gum can be found around the world.

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