Modern chewing gum, as we know it today, is approximately 164 years old, dating back to the 1860s.
The Development of Modern Chewing Gum
The story of modern chewing gum began in the 1860s when General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, former president of Mexico, brought chicle to New York. He intended for the chicle to be used as a rubber substitute and gave it to Thomas Adams.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1860s | General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna brings chicle from Mexico to New York |
| 1860s | Thomas Adams experiments with chicle as a rubber substitute but ultimately finds limited success. He begins to experiment with flavoring and packaging it as gum. This is the beginning of the modern chewing gum industry. |
The Switch from Rubber to Gum
Initially, chicle was considered for its potential as a rubber alternative. However, after unsuccessful trials, Thomas Adams had a better idea and began making chewing gum. This marked the shift of chicle from an intended industrial material to the popular consumer product we know as chewing gum.
- This shift led to the birth of modern chewing gum.
- It highlights how innovation can arise from unexpected places.
Understanding the Age of Chewing Gum
While people have chewed on resin and other natural materials for centuries, the product we recognize as modern chewing gum is rooted in the mid-19th century with the arrival of chicle in the United States. Therefore, in 2024, the age of modern chewing gum is approximately 164 years since its development in the 1860s.
