The English Tradition of Afternoon Tea

Have you ever wondered where the English tradition of afternoon tea came from?  Who started it?  How long has this tradition been going on?  What the heck is high tea?  Ever hear of low tea?  Is one for the aristocrats and one for the common man?  (Is there such a thing as a common man?)  What should be served?  There are so many questions I have about this tradition, so I decided to go out and find the answers.  My next few blogs will deal with different aspects of Afternoon Tea.