What kind of tea were people always drinking in the olden days?

In all the 18th or 19th century movies or series I’ve seen, people are always drinking tea. ALWAYS! Plus they say things like "That’s not my cup of TEA" , or "I wouldn’t do that for all the TEA in China." What is this tea they’re drinking? Was there one certain common tea that everyone had?

1. Ada M says:

   March 3, 2010 at 8:56 pm

   I am decently sure it was just plain orange pekoe tea, because that was the age of the exploration to china ect. where they grew the tea.
2. chefowen21 says:

   March 3, 2010 at 8:56 pm

   Chicory was an herb used to make a tea back then. It was boiled like tea and in the Americas during that time that could be what they were drinking.