Final answer:
The "bread of our affliction" is a term that represents the struggle for basic sustenance during times of hardship and scarcity, as illustrated by historical accounts of famine and economic turmoil where even the most basic foods were unaffordable or difficult to procure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term "bread of our affliction" historically refers to the hardship and suffering experienced by people during times of famine and poverty. Published accounts like the Confederate Receipt Book from Richmond in 1863 and chronicles such as Johannes de Trokelowe's Annales from the year 1315 highlight the extreme scarcity and desperation faced by populations. People had to resort to recipes for making coffee without coffee beans and apple pie without apples because actual bread, and other staple foods, were either unavailable or prohibitively expensive due to high prices, poor harvests, or economic turmoil. This term encapsulates the dire conditions in which people found themselves and their struggle to survive when even basic sustenance like bread was hard to come by.