2025-06-12

[public] 24.6K views, 1.88K likes, dislikes audio only

TED-Ed

Trace the strange history of Graham crackers, invented by minister Sylvester Graham in order to curb the vices of Americans.

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In the 1800s, minister Sylvester Graham believed Americans had a big problem— not just with their bodies, but their souls. He argued that overindulgence was fueling their baser desires, making them immoral and oversexed. To curb this corruption, puritanical reformers advocated for foods they thought curbed a variety of appetites. Stephanie Honchell Smith details the invention of Graham crackers.

Lesson by Stephanie Honchell Smith, directed by Anton Bogaty.

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View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-were-graham-crackers-designed-to-taste-bad-stephanie-honchell-smith

Dig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-were-graham-crackers-designed-to-taste-bad-stephanie-honchell-smith/digdeeper

Animator's website: https://antonbogaty.com

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