The Olympic Games - The past and the present

The Olympic Games

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HW: ENJOY YOUR BREAK - COMPLETE MISSING HW

Entry: The Ancient Olympic Games

Focus: How did the Olympic Games impact ancient Greece and now the world today?

swbat: explain why the Olympics began, and why they are still played today. Identify multiple issues that have impacted the Olympics.

Connection: Why do over 200 countries take part in the modern Olympic games?

The Olympic Games

- Began in 776 B.C. to honor the chief God Zeus

- They were held every four years

- During the Olympics all wars were suspended/stopped.

Multiple Choice

The Olympic games were first started in order to

• create a way for each city state to compete against one another

• to honor the chief god Zeus

• to honor the home of the gods called Olympus

• none of the above

Events

Some events included in the Olympic games were

- Discus

- Running

-Javelin throwing

- boxing

- chariot racing

Winners won crowns made of olive wreaths, food, money, and fame throughout Greece.

Multiple Select

Identify TWO reasons why the original Olympic games were held

• to honor the god Zeus

• to demonstrate that Greece had better athletes than other nations and cultures of the world.

• because it gave city-states a chance to stop wars and potentially discuss peace.

• Many countries from around the world could play against one another

Multiple Select

Based on what we have learned about life in ancient Greece, do you expect that women were allowed to compete?

• Yes! No doubt about it. Women were always given equal rights

• No! City-states did not give equal rights to women

Olympic Games & Women

• Women were not allowed to watch OR participate at all in the Olympic games!

• Women who broke these rules faced the death penalty if caught!

Poll

How do you imagine women responded to not being included?

• They shrugged and didn't bother caring

• They created their own games

• They were angry and protested

• They constantly tried to sneak their way in to the games and were often put to death

The Heraean Games

Women created their own games and called them the Heraean games!

The original Olympics banned in 393 A.D.

• At this time, the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, a Christian, called for a ban on all “pagan” festivals, ending the ancient Olympic tradition after nearly 12 centuries

• Christians are monotheistic - believing in only one god, while the ancient Greeks believe in many gods.

• The emperor and the Church did not want to honor polytheistic religions.

Multiple Choice

Why did the Roman emperor put an end to the original Olympic games?

• He was a big meanie and he hated fun!

• He believed that the events were pagan because they celebrated Greek polytheistic gods

• There was a pandemic and he wanted to keep everyone safe

• There was a war and he thought the games were in danger of getting disrupted

The Games return!

In 1896 a rich frenchmen named Pierre de Coubertin revived the games with the help of a new international Olympic committee which still governs the games to this day! Only the summer games were held at this time. The winter games began in 1924.

Why bring back the Olympics?

de Coubertin believed that the early ancient Olympics encouraged competition among amateur rather than professional athletes, He also believed truce (stopping war) could work to promote peace as he believed athletic competition to promote understanding across cultures-- thereby lessening the dangers of war.

The Modern Olympic Games

In 1896 the Olympic Games returned to the world and were held in Athens, the modern capital of Greece.

- The games featured 280 participants from 13 nations, competing in 43 events, and was to held every 4 years.

- Since 1994 the Summer & Winter Games have been held separately & have alternated every two years.

Multiple Choice

How many countries took part in the return of the Olympic games in 1896?

• 207

• 1

• 13

• 96

The Olympic Flame

• The original games took place in the City-State of Olympia. Before the games began a flame was ignited by the sun and then kept burning until the closing of the Olympic Games.

• The flame first appeared in the modern Olympics at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. The flame itself represents a number of things, including purity and the endeavor for perfection and is still lit at each Olympics.

The Olympic Flame today

The Olympic flame was lit at the ancient site of Olympia by women wearing ancient-style robes and using a curved mirror and the sun. In 1936 the tradition was continued. The Olympic Torch is lit in Olympia and then passed from runner to runner from the ancient site of Olympia to the Olympic stadium in the hosting city. The flame is then kept alight until the Games have concluded. The Olympic Torch relay represents a continuation from the ancient Olympic Games to the modern Olympics.

Multiple Choice

Identify the continent

• Asia

• Australia

• Europe

• Africa

Multiple Choice

Identify the continent

• Asia

• China

• South America

• Europe

• Africa

Multiple Choice

Identify the country

• North America

• New York

• Queens

• The USA

Multiple Choice

Identify the continent

• Asia

• China

• Africa

• Europe

• South America

Multiple Choice

Identify the continent

• Asia

• China

• England

• Europe

• North America

Multiple Choice

Identify the country

• Europe

• Rome

• Athens

• Greece

Multiple Choice

Identify the continent

• Asia

• China

• England

• Europe

• North America

Multiple Choice

In what year was the Olympic Flame brought back to the Olympic games?

• 776 B.C.

• 1896 A.D.

• 1936 A.D.

• 1996 A.D.

Open Ended

Closure: In your opinion, why do so many countries take part in the Olympic games today? OR In your opinion, why is competing in the Olympic games so important to so many Olympic athletes throughout the world today?