Handout #1: The Historical Cheeseburger and Cola

Global Perspectives on Fast-Food History

The Cheeseburger

Food or Food Product
Point of Origin, Domestication of Creation
Approximate Date
Beef Turkey or Macedonia 6000 B.C.E.
Bread (raised) Egypt 3000 B.C.E.
Cheese Inner Asia Neolithic
Hamburger Germany 18th Century
Hamburger sandwich British 18th century
Ketchup China Before the 16th century
Ketchup (tomato) U.S. 19th century
Lettuce Inner Asia Prehistoric
Mayonnaise France 18th century
Mustard Europe Prehistoric
Oil (olive) Mediterranean Prehistoric
Pepper South Asia Prehistoric
Pickle (cucumber) Inner Asia Prehistoric
Salt Necessary of human life Prehistoric
Tomatoes Origin, Peru; domesticated in Mesoamerica Circa 1000 C.E.
Vinegar (grape) Asia Minor Prehistoric
Wheat Asia Neolithic


The Soft Drink

Carbonated water Commercialized in U.S. 19th century
Coca leaf Peru Prehistoric
Cola U.S. Late 19th century
Kola nut Africa Prehistoric
Sugar Southeast Asia Prehistoric




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