History of Hemp

Hemp has been a part of history throughout the entire world. Archeological records show hemp as a cultivated crop and the worlds largest agricultural crop through the 1800’s. In 3750 BC, farmer and philosopher, Shen Nung, was one of the earliest Chinese founders of civilization to advocate the use of hemp as a fiber. The first woven fabric was made from hemp fibers around 7,000 BC. Most all ship’s sails in history were made from hemp. In America, hemp was mostly used at home in local commerce. In 1619, at Jamestown Colony of Virginia, farmers were required to make use of hemp. Hemp cultivation was mandatory by law in Massachusetts in 1631, Connecticut in 1632 and the Chesapeake Colonies into the mid- 1700’s. During that time, it was one of the most widely used plants on earth.  From 1631 until the early 1800’s, hemp was equivalent to money in most of America and it could be used to pay taxes for over 200 years. The first American flags were made with hemp. Henry Ford’s first car ran on hemp oil. Not only did Ford take advantage of a clean energy source, he also built his car with hemp fibers. Ford demonstrated that his cars made from hemp were more resistant to blows from a sledgehammer than steel-bodied cars.

 It “far exceeds any other crop. Make the most of the Indian hemp seed. Sow it everywhere”. -George Washington.

Hemp is not a new crop with an unknown market in America; hemp was the foundation of our country.