Rational Recreation Flashcards
What time period did rational recreation occur in?
1780-1900
What are the characteristics of rational recreation?
Respectable - Non-violent, accepted by the church
Codification - sports have accepted rules made by national governing bodies
Regional, national and international sports - this became possible due to the evolution of transport through trains, canals and ships.
Purpose-built facilities - the development of technology through the industrial revolution helped to build the facilities for sport
Fair play - the middle-class boys from public schools ad taken the etiquette from their schools and brought them into society.
Control of gambling - this was made possible due to the emergence of the national police
Urban/suburban - most people now lived either in cities or in the area surrounding cities.
Elitist/exclusive - only for the rich men of society
Regular/frequent - as a result of the middle class having more free time.
When were the Wenlock Olympic games created?
1850
Who created the Wenlock Olympic games?
Dr William Penny Wenlock
What was the purpose of the Wenlock Olympic games?
To involve the lower class people of Wenlock in outdoor recreation challenges with prizes offered for successful participants.
What did the Wenlock Olympic games promote?
Moral, physical and intellectual improvements.
What characteristics of the beginning of the industrial revolution affected sporting participation for the lower class?
Migration of lower class to urban areas - loss of space and time to play traditional mob games
Lack of leisure time - machine time (12-hour shifts six days a week)
Lack of income - low wages lead to little money to spare for leisure
Poor health - poor working and living conditions lead to a lack of hygiene so people were too ill to participate in sports
Loss of rights - Restrictions were put in place to ban blood sports and mob games
Lack of public provisions - no access to private facilities or personal equipment
What changes occurred in the second half of the industrial revolution which increased participation for the lower class?
Health and hygiene improvements - the introduction of public baths helped to improve hygiene and stop the spread of disease, therefore people had more energy to participate in sport
Increase in wage and free time - Due to factory acts and Saturday half days people had more time and money to participate in sport
The emergence of the middle class - Due to the emergence of the middle class playing sport became more acceptable and respectable and was played with a higher moral code
Ex-public school boys - former students of public schools went on a spread the games that they had created at school into society
The value of athleticism - the values of physical endeavour and moral integrity when playing sports was passed down to the lower class
Industrial patronage - Some factory owners became patrons of sport for the working class by providing support for then to play sports by starting factory teams
Transport and communication - The development of od steam trains influenced the distance spectators and performers could travel to play and observe sport which lead to leagues being formed.
Travel became cheap - it was easier to travel and watch sports.
Define urbanisation.
Large numbers of people migrating from rural areas into towns and cities, seeking work in factories.
How did the transport revolution affect participation and spectating of sport?
Movement of teams and spectators - the development of railways and steam trains enabled faster and further travel which lead to nationwide fixtures developing.
Improved access to different parts of the country - this allowed sports to develop from local to regional to national with leagues forming.
Cheaper train travel - Train travel became relatively cheap and affordable so working-class people were able to travel to watch their team compete across England.
Improved access to the countryside - Activities such as rambling became popular rural areas were reachable and affordable.
How did the influence of the church help promote sport and recreation?
The church encouraged social change through civilised activities which would divert people away from less socially acceptable activities like drinking.
Define social change.
The way in which people’s thoughts, feelings, appearance and behaviour are regulated in social systems.
How did the middle-class help sporting development?
Codification - The development of strict nationally accepted rules of sports
Competition - The development of leagues and competitions via the middle-class involvement in public sports helped to make sport more competitive and fun to play
Public provisions - The development of public facilities allowed the lower class to participate in sport
Increased leisure time - Saturday half days allowed free time for leisure
Professionalism - the middle class helped to develop professional sports to allow people to get paid to compete.
How did the public schoolboys spread the sports they created in school?
As teachers
As factory owners
As clergy
As officers in the British army
As diplomats
Through the formation of national governing bodies
What happened to sport when NGBs developed?
Sports became increasingly popular
More teams and clubs were formed
More national and international fixtures were organised
leagues and competitions were required for these teams to compete in
Nationally agreed rules and codification for different sports were required
