The Social And Cultural Factor Essay, Research Paper

James Hartmann

10/22/00

Midterm Exam

History 337

The Social and Cultural Factors of Modern Sports

When we observe modern athleticss and see the advancement it has made, we can t aid but to look at the factors in the yesteryear that shaped athleticss, which has shaped our civilization much in the same manner. Urbanization, for illustration, affected organized athleticss much like it affected our civilization. Better transit and increased communicating besides helped distribute athleticss and how we know them today. Let us non bury altering attitudes in concern and how it trickled down to athletic competition.

For starting motors, allow s look at the industrial revolution and the function it had in determining athleticss. In the rural countries, new farming methods and innovations led for an addition supply in harvests and therefore a lessening in demand for husbandmans. New innovations included the seed drill by Jethro Tull, which enabled more seeds to be planted in a less sum of clip. In 1769, James Watt invented the steam engine so there was a new beginning of energy that led to more mills. With these new mills, unemployed citizens migrated to the metropoliss for work. Cities grew, but how does this impact the casting of modern athleticss?

Let s get down from a practical point of view. Wouldn t it be easier to acquire a game traveling by shouting to your friends on your block so going three stat mis like in a rural country? This increased engagement made for increased popularity in athleticss. This besides gave people a manner to run into each other. Not merely that, but it gave people a manner to do a name for themselves. If person came from a working category household, they could accomplish celebrity through everything from prizefighting to baseball.

Employer

s in the mills supported competition every bit good. Sports gave the labour category an activity besides imbibing. A batch of the rules in athleticss besides are rules in work. Teamwork, dedication, competition, is all factors in concern every bit good. That s likely why many of the first organized squads were sponsored by concerns.

Transportation inventions like the steam engine increased the popularity of athleticss. The degree of competition was raised enormously because the best squads in, for illustration baseball could go to Chicago or Boston to play each other. This besides increased popularity because the games were much more exciting from a fan s point of position. It besides made it possible for competitions such as prizefighting remain possible. Combatants were brought by the steamboat to countries were prizefighting was legal. International competition such as the Olympics was able to go on because of the steamboat.

The last societal factor in modeling modern athleticss in the 19th century was the Victorian civilization. This was the in-between category people who believed more in difficult work than anything else was. This included non blowing clip, energy, or money on athleticss. Diversion for this category was gymnastic exercises for wellness and organic structure health. From this civilization spawned a counterculture that rebelled from these ideals. This was chiefly the labour category whose ideals chiefly included imbibing, gaming, and playing.

These counterVictorians gathered at featuring events and barrooms to imbibe and wager. These activities further promoted the playing of athleticss such as prizefighting. Not merely that, but they began to derive a sense of pride through athletic competition. This counterculture began the followers of sports and served as non merely the main participants in athletic competition, but besides the main fan base.