The History of Sports

Sports

The role of sports in American society is immense. In addition to generating tremendous popularity, these activities promote social integration and promote fair play. Early Americans stressed the importance of physical exercise, encouraging the practice of swimming and running. Likewise, the 20th century American presidents urged the public to participate in athletic events and physical fitness. Even those who aren’t athletes take pride in winning Olympic medals. Whether you enjoy the thrill of competing against other people or are just a casual spectator, sports provide a common goal and story to relate to.

Today, the term sports is used to describe many different types of physical activity. While some of the traditional activities still retain an aesthetic component, the focus is on quantitative achievements. The semantic shift from Renaissance sports to modern sport can be seen in the word measure. While it used to denote an aesthetic sense of balance and proportion, the word measure became associated with numerical measurements. Sports, such as a sprint race, have a long history of history. Sports have been defined by different groups of people, but generally fall into two categories.

Ancient Greeks and Chinese civilizations practiced ball games. Although these were noncompetitive rituals, ancient Chinese and Aztec people played ball games. While they were not contests, these games were often played as worship to Zeus. Greek and Roman antiquity also promoted ball games. The 2nd century ce Greek physician Galen even recommended that athletes should play ball games for their health. Throughout history, sports have spanned the globe.