Hanna Burnard

Professor Nelson

RPTM 220: Sustainability, Society, and Well-being

January 29, 2023

Recreation and leisure have changed throughout history. Throughout globalization and

the expansion of cultures, new forms of recreation have developed. The recreation and leisure

that is experienced today represents the rich history of customs, people, and places of the past.

Commercial recreation in the present differs from how it was presented in ancient societies. As

the global population grew and more cultures interacted, present-day commercial recreation was

slowly fostered. Without the impact of historical recreation and leisure, we wouldn’t have a

beautifully evolved commercial recreation system.

In early societies, recreation and leisure were experienced through avenues such as

music, lifting weights, hunting, and wrestling. Early civilizations enjoyed many recreational

activities, due to some technological advances during this time. The Ancient Greeks created the

town planning system. From the development of town planning, thus fostered open-air

gymnasiums and theaters, parks and gardens, stadiums, and public baths. The Romans were

builders, but more systematic planners and builders than the Greeks. During the reign of

Emperor Claudius in Ancient Rome 93 out of the 159 public holidays were devoted to public

games. By AD 354, there were 175 holidays devoted to games. The idea of recreation shifted

with the creation of the Roman Coliseum and gladiators. The shift from traditional sports of

throwing or jumping, for example, to human combat was formed. Gladiators would fight to the

death, and later animals such as lions were included in these fights. A couple hundred years later,
during the Middle Ages, there was another shift in recreation. Edward Hulme suggested that the

lower class should enjoy life outside of working. After the Dark Ages, when life became easier,

many new pastimes were formed, including the fostering of many modern-day sports. During the

late years of the Renaissance, three types of large parks were developed. The first type were

hunting preserves or parks for royals, which in the present some serve as famous public parks,

such as Tiergarten in Berlin, Germany. The second type were ornate and formal parks. These

were designed taking French landscaping styles into consideration. English naturalistic garden-

type parks were the third major type of large park created during this time. During the 18th

century in England, business and residential streets were paved and had street signs, creating a

new wave of innovation.

The development of Early America allowed for recreational ideas from different cultures

to come together. New ideas were introduced during the early settlement of the Puritans,

challenging their religious rules. The Puritans had many restrictions and rules regarding leisure,

such as no gambling and dancing. Playing cards were also viewed as being of the devil to the

Puritans, but they were still being imported from England and openly sold in the New World,

challenging their religious views. Nowadays, playing cards is a common form of recreation in

multiple cultures worldwide. The Industrial Revolution was by far the most innovative

development of technologies and ideas used in recreation leisure of this time period. The

invention of the steam engine by James Watt allowed for easier and more convenient travel. John

Muir was a naturalist who is known for his advocation of perseveration. He was a part of the

discovery of many modern-day US National Parks, such as the Grand Canyon and Mt. Rainier.

The beginning of the 20th century fostered a growth in commercialized entertainment and

recreation. New ideas introduced during this time period challenged the Victorian views that
were present during the 19th century. Previously, organized sports and other popular forms of

entertainment, such as dance halls and theaters, had a negative connotation. One of the most

rapidly growing forms of leisure during the early 20th century was attending professional baseball

games. The immergence of penny arcades, commercial amusements, and other commercial

leisure outlets, reshaped the American leisure system. Coney Island is the perfect example of the

development of a new form of leisure. President Theodore Roosevelt encouraged the expansion

of the national park system, including new preserves, wildlife refuges, and historic sites. Joseph

Lee is the mastermind behind the playground movement. Playgrounds are a crucial part of

present recreation. Playgrounds encourage playing with a purpose among children and are an

important part of child development. Luther Halsey Gulick was another influential member of

the recreation movement during the 20th century. One of his achievements that I am most proud

of is his hard work towards expanding access to recreation for women and girls.

Recreational sports have grown and changed throughout history. From jousting during

Medieval times to Esports, there has been many changes and innovations that has led to present-

day sports. A technology we see used a lot in sports is the instant replay machines. Also,

throughout history, equipment development has been a form of innovation, making sports safer.

For example, when comparing football gear from 2023 to football gear of 1923, the safety

features are very different. With technology we are able to design equipment that will aim to

keep the individual safe, regardless of the sport. In 1939, the John T. Riddell Company, with the

help of Gerry E. Morgan drafted the first mold of a helmet. Helmets weren’t as widely used until

after World War II due to the inability to get access to plastic during the height of the war. Dike

Beede couldn’t signify what penalty was being called with the use of a horn, so he decided to

have his wife sow 4 different flags, and suggested the red flag be used for penalties. Recreational
sports have been through many waves of innovation since their inception in ancient civilizations

and I’m curious to see where recreational sports are 100 years from now. I wonder what

innovations will occur in our near future with our rapidly developing technologies.
 References

McLean, D. D., Hurd, A. R., & Anderson, D. M. (2019). Chapter 4: History of Recreation and

Leisure. In Kraus' recreation and leisure in modern society (pp. 67–95). essay, Jones &

Bartlett Learning.

Trebilcock, B. (2021, November 12). Inventions that changed sports history. Almanac.com.

Retrieved January 23, 2023, from https://www.almanac.com/content/inventions-changed-

sports-history