Hershey’s Chocolate Companyhttp://www.goldtop.org/milk/lib/cows/hersheys.gif
Did you know that 80 million Hershey’s Kisses are made in just one day, or that Hershey, Pennsylvania's street lights are shaped like giant Hershey’s Kisses, and Hershey’s Chocolate Company is one of the largest chocolate companies in the world? This all takes place because of a man who was born outside of the small town of Derry Church, Pennsylvania by the name of Milton Hershey. This great man helped America to become what it is today. What would many Americans do without the sweet, smooth taste of Hershey’s Chocolate? Milton Hershey built a billion dollar corporation based on America’s love for chocolate. Chocolate is many times called the “food of the gods.” In fact, it was worshipped by the Mayan Indians. It has been eaten by famous kings and leaders and it's uses have expanded ever since the first cocoa bean was grown on a tree. It started out as just the bean, mashed then eaten, but it has become so much more. It was then a drink, and then a bar. The drink first came into use sometime during the 15th Century. It was drunken by the Aztec king, Montezuma II. As a gift, he gave this wonderful creation to Hernando Cortez when the America’s were first beginning to explore the New World. It then stayed a secret throughout the Spanish nobility, but the secret did not stay a secret for long. It’s fame spread rapidly throughout Spain and then to other countries. The first chocolate shop was begun by a Frenchman. It was a hot chocolate shop. Then in 1765, the world’s first chocolate factory was built in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Six years later, a Dutch chemist invented a cocoa press that made chocolate candies by mixing cocoa butter with ground sugar. In 1876, Daniel Peter invented milk chocolate by mixing condensed milk with chocolate liquor, unfortunately, nonalcoholic. The Swiss then helped the candy to have the smooth surface by the process of “conching.” This word has a Greek meaning “sea shell.” Over the years, chocolate has taken many shapes and forms, but has always had the same smooth, sweet taste we have come to love and even worship today. Milton Hershey was not a well educated man. He did not attend any schooling past the fourth grade. When he turned eighteen, he was placed in the hands of a candy maker, and apprenticed with him for a while. He then opened many caramel factories in New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. He was fascinated with the beautiful machinery used to make the sweet chocolate morsels.
Hershey’s Chocolate Company has changed dramatically over the years along with the city. Milton Hershey built a billion dollar corporation based on America’s love for chocolate. It is a symbol of what America is today. Bibliography 1.) Thiers, Genevieve PageWise Inc The History of Hershey Chocolate - Milton Hershey http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blchocolatehershey.htm March 13, 2004 2.) About Inc The history of Hershey’s chocolate http://flfl.essortment.com/thehistoryofh_rizr.htm March 9, 2004 3.) Family Travel Guide Hershey, Pennsylvania - A History http://www.familytravelguides.com/articles/greatlakes/Pennsylvania/hershist.htm March 19, 2004 4.) Hershey Food Corperation Hershey Food Corperation - History of Chocolate http://www.hersheys.com/consumer/history.html March 9, 2004 5.) Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Milton S. Hershey History http://www.hersheypa.com/town_of_hershey/history March 17, 2004