The Early History of Sports PDF

The Early History of Sport ~~~ TOPICS COVERED IN THIS LESSON (a) The Evolving Roles of Sport & Physical Activity (b) The Social & Cultural Significance of Sport  Focussing Question ~~~ “What roles did physical activity and sport play in early hum...

The Early History of Sport ~~~ TOPICS COVERED IN THIS LESSON (a) The Evolving Roles of Sport & Physical Activity (b) The Social & Cultural Significance of Sport  Focussing Question ~~~ “What roles did physical activity and sport play in early human societies?” Pre-Agricultural Societies Humans were compelled to be active physically to stay alive Hunting and gathering societies were constantly on the move in search of food and shelter Engaging in warfare was common Survival needs meant little opportunity for “leisure” time  Ancient Greece Ancient Greece was the first civilization to pursue physical activity for the sake of physical as well as mental benefits Athleticism and athletic events held religious significance The ancient Greeks believed that the gods bestowed extraordinary powers upon athletes Winners of sporting events presented offerings to the gods  Ancient Olympics The ancient Greeks organized sporting events into competitions between nations. First recorded Olympic Games took place in Athens in 776 BCE. First Games featured only one event: a foot race, or “stade.” This ancient Greek amphora (vase) Other sports—e.g., wrestling, discus, boxing, long jump, depicts runners in javelin—came later. the foot race, the only sport in the An Olympic truce (peace) allowed athletes to travel original Olympic safely to Athens without fear of attack by enemies. Games. The Roman Empire Mainland Greece was integrated into the Roman Empire in about 50 BCE-500 CE. The Romans continued the Olympic tradition but favoured more brutal sporting events, e.g., gladiatorial combat. Athleticism and the Olympic Games waned when the Roman Empire declined. The Modern Olympic revival did not occur until many centuries later, in 1896. The Renaissance The Renaissance saw a revival of interest in Greek and Roman culture. Athleticism again became a social ideal. Study of human anatomy and physiology intensified. Italian physician Vittorino da Feltre started the first childhood physical education classes in 1420. Renaissance Artist Leonardo da Vinci Depicted Human Anatomy  The Industrial Revolution and the Victorian Era Rural agrarian economies shifted to urban-based manufacturing economies. Populations grew and a new prosperous middle class emerged. The middle class was eager to join the upper classes in leisure pursuits. Popular recreational activities included bicycling, roller skating, horseback riding, boating, and swimming. Rules and time limits were set on spectator sports such as cricket, football, and tennis to accommodate workers’ schedules. Lawn Tennis: A Popular Middle-Class Sport in Victorian England  Victorian Attitudes Toward Sport The Victorian ideal of “amateurism” excluded the lower classes from participating in sport. Sport was seen to develop manly character and camaraderie among the privileged classes. The Victorian ideal of the “gentleman athlete” excluded women. Most Victorians believed that too much physical activity would harm a woman’s delicate constitution.  Sport and Physical Education in the Victorian Era Because sport “built character,” it was viewed as vital to a privileged young man’s education. Physical education and sport became a growing part of the British “public” (i.e., private) school system. Victorian young men brought their sports to the British colonies. History Continued In Aztec society, the lives of losers of a game similar to modern basketball were offered as a sacrifice to the gods As for the ancient Greeks, athletic games were part of religious ceremonies Physical fitness was viewed as helping young warriors gain spiritual fitness. This emphasis on spiritual fitness prevails today in many FNMI societies Contemporary FNMI Sporting Competitions Held every two years, the Arctic Winter Games offer high-profile sport competition for northern and Arctic athletes. Events include snowshoeing, snowboarding, table tennis, basketball, and the extremely challenging two-foot-high kick The Games encourage equal access to sport  Summary Early agricultural human societies featured athletic events as part of religious ceremonies. Until the early part of the 20th century, many sport and recreational pursuits were restricted primarily to the privileged leisure classes.  STOP Complete pages 24-25 (1 &2) in the workbook