From their inception in early 1650's, coffeehouses became very popular in London. Coffee became increasingly popular, but was not the only reason why people went to the coffeehouses. Not only did they provide the most up to date information, coffeehouses were also centers of discussion that the brightest minds of the time used to further their scholarly pursuits. At the same time, they were also attacked as bastions of sedition and Charles II even tried to suppress them. Coffeehouses were also part of the emerging trend of partisan politics, and learning that defined this time period. The questions for this project are how did coffeehouses fit into this divided and conflicting society, and what functions did they perform to integrate into their communities? This paper will argue that coffeehouses were institutions that could foment social and political conflict in London society, but also foment cultural advancements.


Schilling, Hayden




European History

Publication Date


Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis



© Copyright 2012 George Frederick William Stephan