First Of The Modern Olympic Games example essay topic

While watching the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City this year I became interested in how the games started and what they were like in previous years. The Olympic Games as we know them have only been around since the first modern Olympiad, which was held in Athens in 1896. However, the tradition of athletic competition has been around longer than history itself. Athletics in Ancient Civilization Athletic competition was always an integral part of life for the members of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece. Physical fitness was extremely important, and children would start being trained to compete at a young age. Kings, pharaohs, and nobles spent much of their time training and preparing to compete in their athletic contests.

These competitions took place as early as 3,000 BC in Egypt and Mesopotamia, but were only attended by the kings, pharaohs, and nobles of the time. Archeologists found evidence of early athletics on the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs Ptah otep, Akhethotep, and Ramses. Each of them included a carved depiction of two men in a wrestling scene grappling one another and trying to throw each other to the ground. Some of these scenes show the presence of an official, while others show the defeated athlete on the ground with one hand raised into the air, indicating a submission. The Egyptians were also known for playing all types of ball games and participating in boxing, equestrian, gymnastic, boating, and stick fighting competitions. Ancient Minoans had their own original sport they enjoyed participating in.

Unlike modern day cowboys that ride bulls, Minoans would gather for a celebration and watch their athletes spring off the ground and jump the backs of the bulls. This 'bull leaping' is depicted on all types of Minoan art, and was considered an important part of Minoan culture and their religious festivals. The Origin of the Olympics During the colonization period of 750 to 550 BC, warrior life began to decline in Greece, and the emphasis turned to physical fitness. Gymnasiums, stadiums, and training facilities were built by each of Greek's city-states. Athletic competitions began, and any one with the money to train themselves could participate. Even those without money, could sometimes acquire a sponsor from their city-state in hopes that the athlete may bring glory to their hometown.

The events the athletes participated in were all related to war tactics, such as boxing, wrestling, etc. These small tournaments were the beginning of what would become the ancient Olympics. The Ancient Olympics Long before Nike was a sponsor and NBC had the television rights, the Olympics were very different. The ancient Greek Olympics were religious festivals designed to celebrate the gods. The competitors trained rigorously not for their own personal glory, but instead to impress and please their gods through a demonstration of strength and agility. To win an Olympic contest was regarded more highly than winning a battle and proved the individuals virtue.

There are many legends related the beginning of the ancient Olympics. One such tale is that of Hercules winning a race at Olympia and he decreed that races should be instituted every four years. The most popular of the legends tells of Zeus originating the games after he defeated Cronus in battle. Records of the ancient Olympics date back to 776 BC, which was when the first official Olympiad was held. From then on they were held every four years in honor of Zeus, in accordance with the four-year time periods which the Greeks called Olympiads. The majority of the events were held at the Olympic stadium near the temple of Zeus just southwest of Athens.

The ancient games were the most sacred of events, defined by solemn opening and closing ceremonies. The sacred truce was instituted during the month of the Olympiad. Messengers known as 'spondorophoroi' carried the word of the truce and announced the date of the games all over the Greek world. The truce called for a cease of arms for the entire period of the Olympiad to allow for safe travel of athletes to and from Olympia. Armies and armed individuals were not allowed to enter the arenas, and there could be no death penalties carried out during the period of the truce. The games did however continue during times of war.

They were even held in 480 BC during the Persian Wars, and also during the Battle of Thermopylae. The events that took place in the ancient Olympics evolved over time. Among the sports the athletes participated in were the footrace, wrestling, boxing, the pentathlon, chariot races, and pankration. Pankration is a sport that combines wrestling, kickboxing, and modern day street fighting and only forbids biting and gouging. Only men were allowed to enter the events at the Olympiad.

Women were forbidden to compete or be spectators at the ancient Olympic Games under the penalty of death. Women eventually were allowed to participate in their own athletic festivals, which were held in honor of the goddess Hera. The victors of the ancient games were crowned with giant wreaths from a sacred olive tree that grew behind the temple of Zeus. Tradition states that Hercules, founder of the games, planted the tree. These champions would march around the grove carrying the pride of pleasing the gods and their victory, all while flutes played and admirers chanted along. The winner of a stadium race in a given year also had the Olympiad named in honor of him.

The first Olympiad is therefore known as that of Koroibos of Elis, the winner of the stadium race in 776 BC. The Ancient Olympics were held every four years from 776 BC to 393 AD. The Roman Emperor Theodosius I abolished the Olympics because of their pagan influences in the year 394 AD. While athletic competition continued, this was the end of the ancient Olympics, which had lasted for 1170 years. The Revival of the Olympics A young Frenchman named Pierre de Coubertin, who is now known as le Renovate ur, had interesting views on athletics for a man of his time. After spending time studying the education of the German, British, and American children, Coubertin came to the conclusion that it was sports, that made a well-rounded and vigorous person.

Coubertin dedicated his life to getting France interested in sports. At first he was met with great resistance, but he still persisted. In 1890 Coubertin founded a sports organization, 'Union des Societes Francaises de Sports Athletiques' which was also known as the USFS A. His organization was the start of athletics in France, and the beginning of the Olympic revival. His whole life Coubertin was intrigued by the mystique of the ancient Olympics. After getting his inspiration from visits to the ancient stadiums and tales of competition, Coubertin began his quest for reviving the Olympics.

At a meeting for the USF A Coubertin gave this speech in hopes to motivate the people into action. ' Let us export our oarsmen, our runners, our fencers into other lands. That is the true Free Trade of the future; and the day it is introduced into Europe the cause of Peace will have received a new and strong ally. It inspires me to touch upon another step I now propose and in it I shall ask that the help you have given me hitherto you will extend again, so that together we may attempt to realise [sic], upon a basis suitable to the conditions of our modern life, the splendid and beneficent task of reviving the Olympic Games. ' This speech surprisingly did not inspire the action Coubertin was looking for. However, he wouldn't give up.

Two years later, he organized a meeting with 79 delegates who represented nine countries. This time when he spoke, they listened. At this point the delegates at the meeting voted unanimously for the revival of the Olympic Games. They also voted successfully to have Coubertin construct an International Olympic Committee and to designate Demetrius Vikelas from Greece as the first president. Athens was chosen as the site for the first modern Olympic Games and the planning had begun. Athens, Greece 1896 The very first of the modern Olympic Games opened in the first week of April in the year 1896.

The Greek government had been unable to fund construction of a stadium; luckily a wealthy Greek architect, Georgios Aver off, donated one million drachmas to restore the Panathenaic Stadium. This reconstruction of the stadium built in 330 BC took time, but the end result was a beautifully restored arena with white marble just for the games. Since the Games were not well publicized internationally, contestants were not nationally chosen like they are today, but rather came individually and at their own expense. Some of the contestants were actually tourists who happened to be in the area during the Games and decided to participate.

Athletes also wore their athletic club uniforms rather than a national team outfit because the countries did not sponsor the athletes. Events in Athens included: Pole vaulting, sprints, shot put, weight lifting, swimming, cycling, target shooting, tennis, marathon and gymnastics. All of the swimming events were held in the Bay of Zea in the Aegean Sea, where athletes had to make their way through obstacles such as the twelve foot waves and freezing temperatures. The revival of the Ancient Olympics attracted athletes from 14 nations, with the largest delegations coming from Greece, Germany, and France. A total of 245 athletes competed in the 43 events, to make the Athens Olympic Games a huge success and the beginning of a revived tradition of international competition.

On 6th of April 1896, the American James Connolly won the triple jump to become the first Olympic champion in more than 1,500 years.