Transcript Historical Studies in Physical Education Urban/Industrial factors which influenced the development of

Historical Studies in Physical
Education
Urban/Industrial factors which
influenced the development of
Rational Sport
Urban Industrial factors which
influenced the development of
Rational Sport:
Agrarian Revolution – name given to
changes in agriculture in Britain in the 18th
C.
 Open field system of strip farming replaced
by larger enclosed fields (hedges and
ditches).
 This took up area of land previously used
for sporting activity, particularly field
sports, e.g, hunting.
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Post 1800 – effects of
urbanisation:
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Urbanisation involved the movement en mass of
people from rural areas and villages into towns
and cities. This resulted in the development of
towns and cities as major centres of population.
 There was a loss of jobs in agriculture as a result
of the mechanisation process. In turn, new
employment opportunities were created in the new
factories.
The effects of urbanisation on
sport:
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Decline in land available for sport to be played.
Village community structure destroyed .
Poor transport from towns to rural areas and lack
of disposable income meant that most people
could not travel for sport.
Sport forms adapted to suit the industrial
environment.
Growth in spectator sports due to large
populations.
Longer working hours made opportunities for
leisure difficult.
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Factory owners and machines were in control of
time.
Low wages meant very little disposable income.
Women and children were used for cheap labour.
Workers were too tired for leisure, widespread
disease and malnutrition also prevented
participation.
Leisure activities controlled by middle class with
no leisure facilities for working class. No parks
only pub games available. Street games made
illegal.
The Industrial Revolution
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The cottage industry had tended to be a family run
affair.
The amount of work to be done determined the
time spent at work.
Machines began to control the amount of time
spent at work.
Workers toiled for 72hrs per wk 6 days per wk.
Only Sunday spent away from work (rest –
church)
Little free time available for sport and recreation.
Improved Conditions of Work
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Saturday half day allowed afternoon sport.
Shorter working week.
Early closing movement by shop workers.
Factory sponsored work teams and opening of
factory facilities.
Railways improved communications and
transport.
Increased wages meant more disposable income.
Influence on development of
sport:
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Saturday half day allowed time and energy to
develop man’s sport.
Women’s sport declined because they were
expected to look after the house and family.
Shorter working week provided more daylight
hours.
Wed and Thurs early closing for shops.
Standards of working class sport improved.
Development of weekend sport football and
cricket.
Increased Literacy and Printed
Words:
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Literacy among the working classes was
very limited until the advent of printing.
 The popular press developed.
 Pocket editions became available.
 Education was made compulsory for the
working class.
 The sporting press became established.
Emergence of the urban
middle class:
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This period of revolution saw the emergence of an
urban middle class.
This new middle class tried to copy the gentry but
did not have as much spare time to participate in
sporting activities and therefore had to rationalise
the games.
Wagering was frowned upon.
The middle class did not want the lower class to
be involved in their activities.
Sport generally took place at the weekends –
unless participants received expenses as amateurs.
Gender variables and female
participation in sport:
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The new middle class had a protective attitude
towards women.
Women were not allowed to compete in sport.
It was deemed unseemly for them to display
themselves in public.
Energetic behaviour/sweating was deemed
unfeminine.
Female participation took place in own private
facilities, eg tennis in own back garden.
Working class women had no organised sport.
Changes in opportunities for
sport and holidays resulting
from the development of the
railways:
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The arrival of faster/easier travel and
communications helped the growth of
national sports.
 Spectator sports became more popular.
 Travel to coast was made easier.
 Day trips for the working classes.
Changing religious attitudes to
respectable sport (muscular
christian attitudes):
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Moral understanding could be achieved through sport
and athletics.
Sport was viewed as a form of social control.
Establishment of church groups, most high profile
being the YMCA.
Sunday as a rest day which slowed the development of
working class sport.
Upper class who used their own facilities escaped this
Sunday ban.
Cycling, rambling and boating encouraged instead of
other activities.
The influence of the YMCA:
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Religious organisation.
Aimed at developing Christian character through
group activities.
Developed athleticism via churchmen/curates who
had been to public schools and universities.
Began in London in 1844 led by George Williams.
Spread sport to the public/masses via urban city
centres.
Developed games of volleyball and basketball.
Organised groups of weekend ramblers.
Social characteristics which
influenced the rationalisation of sport
and development of outdoor
recreation:
Upper Class:
Pursued wide variety of
sports and activities.
Had preferred activities.
Had plenty of time and
money.
Retained the exclusive
rights to sports if it suited
them.
Middle class
Copied/developed the
sports of the upper
classes.
Gave them amateur
codes.
Not as much time and
money available.
Women excluded from
public competition.
Working class
Mob sport – unruly and
violent.
Irregular.
Fairs and festivals.
Little spare time and
money available.
Social control.
Factory sports facilities.
Limited opportunities for
women (came at a latter
date).
Lack of facilities led to
the development of
professional football.