Coca-Cola's Impact On American Culture

A nation’s culture is affected by several factors, whether it be the language they speak or the clothes they wear. Culture is important to a nation because it gives them identity and something to base their lives off from. In the United States, one business has helped to define their culture, the Coca-Cola Company. Coca-Cola was invented in 1886 by John S. Pemberton in his backyard. He sold his drink to Jacobs Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia. Selling for 5 cents a drink, his first year of sales gave him a revenue of $50. A decade later, with the implementation of Prohibition, people began to turn to soda, Coca-Cola becoming the most popular and recognizable of brands. By 1891, the drink was sold nationwide, and new factories began to open in different parts of the country (Geisst). The invention of Coca-Cola in 1886 has made a profound impact on different elements of American culture; socially, religiously, economically, and traditionally, to name a few. Based on social aspects, Coca-Cola brought influence to the American culture. When one looks at what the social aspect of culture entails, they will find that it contains a wide range of subjects. One of these subjects that was influenced by Coca-Cola was the U.S. soldiers during World War II and the post-war era. During this time, U.S. soldiers found Coca-Cola to be the “most important icon of the American way of life”. To them, it resembled a sacred time, and reminded them of their homes. During the post-war