The History of Marijuana
A Dope Time Line of Our Favorite Dates.
1533
By Katie Hassell
During the Roman period, hemp was a common crop in England. King Henry VIII recognized the importance of the crop. He knew that to grow his British Navy fleet, he needed a hemp supply to produce the ropes, nets and sails for his ships. He put into law a Hemp Mandate. This law stated that for every 60 acres of land a farmer owned, he was to set aside one-quarter acre to grow hemp or face steep fines.
In the 1560s, Queen Elizabeth I increased the required hemp production amounts and the penalties for underperformance. Elizabeth was deeply invested in the production of hemp because she too, needed a large fleet of ships, both for navy defense and the expansion of the empire. The British navy was to defend the country against the Spanish Armada in 1588. As the empire expanded, the colonized countries were also expected to join in hemp cultivation. This made the British Empire one of the largest producers of hemp.
