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Rum plays a part in the culture of most islands of the West Indies, and has famous associations with the British [[Royal Navy]] and [[piracy]]. Rum has also served as a popular medium of exchange that helped to promote [[slavery]] along with providing economic instigation for Australia's [[Rum Rebellion]] and the [[American Revolution]].
its boooze
==Origins of the name==
The origin of the word ''rum'' is unclear. A common claim is that the name was derived from ''rumbullion'' meaning "a great tumult or uproar". {{inote|Pacult - RUM'S ANCIENT PEDIGREE}}
Another claim is that the name is from the large drinking glasses used by Dutch seamen known as ''rummers'', from the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] word ''roemer'', a drinking glass.{{inote|Blue p. 72-73}}
Other options include contractions of the words ''saccharum'', [[Latin]] for sugar, or ''arôme'', [[French language|French]] for aroma.
Regardless of the original source, the name had come into common use by May [[1657]] when the General Court of Massachusetts made illegal the sale of strong liquor "whether knowne by the name of rumme, strong [[water]], wine, brandy, etc., etc."{{inote|Blue p. 73}}
In current usage, the name used for a rum is often based on the rum's place of origin. For rums from Spanish-speaking locales the word ''ron'' is used. A ''ron añejo'' indicates a rum that has been significantly aged and is often used for premium products. ''Rhum'' is the term used for rums from French-speaking locales, while ''rhum vieux'' is an aged French rum that meets several other requirements.
Some of the many other names for rum are ''Rumbullion'', ''Rumbustion'', ''Barbados water'', ''Rumscullion'', ''Devil's Death'' (or "Kill-Devill"), ''Nelson's Blood'', and ''Rumbo''. A version of rum from [[Newfoundland]] is referred to by the name ''Screech'' (see [[Newfoundland Screech]]), while some low-grade [[West Indies]] rums are called [[tafia]].
==History==
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