Sports World 4U

Prehistoric cave art discovered in France, Africa, and Australia, carbon dated up to 30,000 years ago, provides evidence of ritual archery. The art's very existence demonstrates interest in skills unrelated to the functional tasks of staying alive, and evidence of leisure time being available. It depicts other non-functional and apparently ritual activities as well. Therefore, although there is scant direct evidence of sport from these sources, it is reasonable to extrapolate that there was some activity at these times resembling sport.

The Chinese developed cuju, a game like football, over two thousand years ago. The Romans had a game similar to rugby called harpastum. Captain Cook, as the first Western visitor to the Hawaiian Islands, in 1778, reported on the native people surfing. The Native Americans engaged in games and sports, such as lacrosse-type ball games, foot racing, and other athletic activities before the coming of Europeans. The ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations played organized, ritualized ballgames. Some of the courts used at that time are still standing today. It is reasonable to assume from these and other historical sources that sport has origins that lie in the global beginnings of humankind itself.

Many modern sports can trace their roots back to the local games of the rural working class. Games such as the Shrovetide football matches across much of Europe, caid in Ireland and hurling from Cornwall to Ireland often had few rules and were violent and chaotic in comparison with their modern counterparts. Prizefighting also emerged in 17th century In contrast, the game of Calcio Fiorentino, in Florence, Italy, was originally reserved for the aristocracy. The aristocracy would also favour sports as patrons. Horse racing, in particular, was a favourite of the upper class in Great Britain, with Queen Anne founding the Ascot Racecourse.