Why do the British love tea, and why do us Americans love coffee?

As strange as it sounds:

* The British like tea partly because it was readily available from the far eastern parts of their Empire (mainly India); and also because it distinguished them from continental Europe where coffee is more popular.

* Ironically, after the Revolution many Americans turned to coffee, precisely because it distinguished them from the British!

Actually, and there are some answers that hit on this, but to be completely clear, Americans use to love tea before the Revolutionary War. .. When the British put a heavy tax on tea for their own purposes, Americans did not like this. In fact, after organizing a plan, the Boston Tea Party evolved, tumping a an entire shipment of tea in the Boston Harbor. Americans saw this as a symbol of power, independence. After this, anyone drinking tea ws thought of to be loyal to the British. It took a few months to catch on completely, but Americans switched to coffee. Even though we no longer are threatened by the British, the idea took roots as coffee being our preferred drink and it started because of our resistance. Americans,,,we have quite a colorful history.

Why Do British Drink Tea

The British like tea because it was readily available to them and affordable for all classes.

Personally I love both and will chop and change what I drink depending on what I am doing and what time of day it is, for instance I will have coffee first thing in the morning or at work when I need to be alert and I will drink tea in the evenings when I am relaxing and eating my bikkies :P

Poms drink tea and eat crumpet. Yanks eat hot dogs & donuts and drink coffee all day. Aussies drink beer and eat meat pies all day. Kiwis love sheep. Canucks say aboot instead of about and the French eat garlic and drink wine. Every country has a "typical" person, language etc. Laugh don't lament. Geez luv, yous a young sheila and yous are already a whingein' snobby Pom. Stone tha crows! Strewth!

Because you were dropped on your head as a baby.

i think it's their culture and their favrot

Different cultures ... I like beef but a lot of people in India don't. I live in the UK and prefer tea but that is because of taste ... I have tried many different coffee's and none for me are that great so I stick to tea. When I say tea I mean brown tea with milk and sugar ... not fruit tea (or breakfast - too strong)

The British drink tea because India and southern china produced it, and therefore the Brits had them available.

Tea was taxed by the Kind during the revolution, so Americans switched to coffee from Cuba and Columbia. It was un-British which only made it better.

I prefer Coffee with sweets, but tea when there are no sweets...

mmmmmmmmm,I'm English,live in Great Britain,and love coffee,I rarely drink tea!

it's part of their culture