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The Olympic games are the greatest sports event in the world. For many years, the Greeks used games for many reasons. The official ancient games were started in Greece. The first modern games in Athens, Greece, were held from April 6 through April 15 in the year of 1896. Since then, major world events plagued some of the Olympic games. There are a lot of examples of games being held in early Greece.
There are also different stories on how they got started. One says that the guardians of Zeus held a foot race or that Zeus himself held the foot race to celebrate his victory for control of the world. Another story says that Pelops, a Greek hero, won a chariot race in order to mary his wife. After the start of the Olympics, in approximately 776 B. C.
the games continued every four years until 393 A. D. and were held in Olympia, Greece. They were held in Olympia because Greeks honored Gods and it was the oldest religious center in Greece.
It was also convenient for travelers. Foot races were the only event for the first 13 years and then events included chariot races, discus matches and boxing. Like every other Greek activity, the games were held under the patronage of the gods, and after sacrifice had been made to them. (Quennell 156) Athletic training was part of education and games were held to keep men physically fit for war, because the Greek people believed if you had a healthy body you had a healthy mind and people liked to watch beautiful bodies. People who competed in the Olympics had to train in Olympia for one month before the games. Men and boys were allowed to compete in the games.
Women werent allowed to compete, but they could enter horse events either as an owner of a chariot or a horse. Single women could attend the games, but married women couldnt. If they did and they were caught, they were put to death. The Pentathlon became a main event at the 18 th Olympiad. Winners of all events received a crown of olive leaves and could have a statue built of himself and set up in Olympia. They were treated like a celebrity and some even received all meals free, front row seats at the theater or festivals, and other benefits.
There were ten Judges and all were Even Greeks because they had a reputation of being fair. The penalty for cheating by athletes was that they were fined. Politics were part of the ancient Olympic games. They would sometimes include arguments between rivals. They were also the scene of peace-making and a truce was announced before the games so that people could travel safely. We know a lot more about todays Olympics, although there are some things that are the same.
We currently have more events, more athletes, Judges from around the world, and Gold, Silver or Bronze medals given to the winners. Our current winning athletes still are athletes and are given special privileges. But, we still have had political issues at several of the games. Modern Olympic games now include over 10, 000 athletes from over 195 countries. There are approximately 26 sports and 271 events. The modern Olympic games were established in June, 1894, when a sports congress was held at the Sorbonne of the Paris University.
The congress decided to revive the Olympic games which were to begin in 1896. The first Olympic games were held in Athens, Greece in 1896. There were nine sports and within those sports, there were 43 events. Some of the medals awarded went to the top scoring five countries. Those were the United States, Greece, Germany, France and Great Britain.
In addition, four of the top five medals went to Germany and one to France. The top five most outstanding athletes were Schumann, Weingartner, Flow and Hofmann from Germany, and Paul Masson from France. When the games first started in 1896, women were not allowed to compete. Olympic founder Pierre de Coubertin didnt want women competing. In 1930, de Coubertin wrote a letter to the International Olympic Committee about womens events being unacceptable. He said that womens events were an unacceptable Olympic spectacle because women were weaker, slower and less dexterous than men. (Crane) He added that the games should be the solemn and periodic exaltation of more athletics, with internationalism as the base, loyalty as the means, art at the framework and feminine applause for reward. (Crane) Womens games have been added ever since 1900 when they were allowed to enter tennis, golf and mixed yachting events.
In addition to not wanting women, modern olympics have had difficulties in the area of racism, terrorism and other major world events. Since the beginning of the Olympics, major world events have plagued some of the modern games. Rome was going to be the host for the 1908 Olympics, but the money was needed to help the area of the country that was ruined by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. The games were then held in London. The games scheduled for Berlin in 1916 were cancelled because of World War I.
During the 1928 Winter games, mild weather conditions caused a thaw which resulted in some skating, bobsledding and skiing events to be cancelled. Also, all events were held early mornings until midday. In 1932, the Olympic games were held in Los Angeles. But because of the Depression, there were fewer athletes who competed. Even though the ceremonies cost a lot of money Los Angeles created and wonderful atmosphere which impressed the people who attended. The organizers of the 1932 Winter games in Lake Placid lost a lot of money because of the Depression.
The 1936 summer Olympics were held in Berlin. Adolph Hitler opened the ceremony and the Nazi party used the games for propoganda. Because of World War II, the Olympic games were not held anymore until 1948. The Olympic games started up again in 1948. The games were supposed to be held in Japan, but because of the war between Japan and China, Japan decided it would not host the games. After a lot of discussion, it was decided the games should be held in St.
Moritz because it already had Olympic facilities and they werent ruined by the War. In 1964, South Africa was not allowed to compete because of their racist policies. The International Olympic Committee changed that decision and South Africa was invited to the 1968 games. However, 32 countries threatened to withdraw if South Africa was allowed to come, so the Committee took back the invitation. One of the worst times in Olympic history happened at the 1972 games in Munich. Palestinian terrorists attacked and kidnapped the Israeli team.
Eleven athletes, five terrorists, and one policeman were killed during the kidnapping of Israeli athletes at Munich and the subsequent attempt to rescue them. (Chronicle of the Olympics 131). The Israeli government wanted the Olympic games to continue because they didnt want to let the terrorists think they accomplished their goal. Also during that Olympics, 27 African countries wanted to boycott the Olympics because South Africa was banned from the games. They didnt though because Rhodesia was banned for their apartheid politics. Because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the Moscow games in 1980 were boycotted by a lot of countries. The 1996 games in Atlanta were interrupted by one terrorist who planted a bomb in Olympic Park.
However, the games went on and Olympic Park reopened three days later. People have enjoyed the Olympic games since early times for many reasons. Even though there have been many disastrous events that either cancelled or interrupted some the games, they still go on today and will for a very long time. People will continue to enjoy the Olympic games as the greatest sport event in the world. Crane, Gregory R. (ed. ) The Perseus Project, web March, 1997. Jarrett, William S.
Timetables of Sports History: The Olympic Games. New York: Facts on Official Site of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. web The Chronicles of the Olympics. Dorling Kindersley Limited, copyright 1998. New York: DK Quennell, Marjorie and C. H.
B. Everyday Things In Ancient Greece. Revised by Kathlreen Freeman copyright 1954. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1930 - 33.
Bibliography: Works Cited Crane, Gregory R. (ed. ) The Perseus Project, web March, 1997. Jarrett, William S. Timetables of Sports History: The Olympic Games. New York: Facts on File Inc. , copyright 1990. Official Site of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. web html? /eng / about /home.
html The Chronicles of the Olympics. Dorling Kindersley Limited, copyright 1998. New York: DK Publishing, 1996. Quennell, Marjorie and C. H. B.
Everyday Things In Ancient Greece. Revised by Kathlreen Freeman copyright 1954. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1930 - 33.
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Research essay sample on History Of Olympic Games
