Sports History Midterm

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Fall 2004

 

Instructions for exam

Students will answer the following essay and identification questions to be handed in on October 20th.  No late exams will be accepted.  Students can type or hand write their exams.  The exams must be properly cited using any materials that have been handed out in class, texts for the class and talking to one another.  Outside sources are not to be used in developing your answers.  Lack of citations will result in a failing grade.  If you work with other students in developing your answers be sure to include their names at the end of your exam.

 

Identifications (5 points each)

Students need to answer 5 identifications from the list below.  Be sure to think about the who, what, when, why, where and the significance.

 

Tommy Molineaux                    cudgeling                                  town ball

The Declaration of Sports         William Channing          Alexander Cartwright

Abner Doubleday                     NAPBL                       Manhattan Rules

Gander pulling             

 

Essays (25 points each)

Students will answer three essay questions from the list below.  Be sure to answer as completely as possible.  Give specific examples and cite materials as needed.

 

  1. Explain the importance of religion toward the sporting practices of the Puritans.  How did it affect different groups within Puritan society?
  2. Explain your definition of what is a sport and why?  What are some of the differing views of sport historians on this question?
  3. Discuss the role of sport and leisure in the life of the slaves—how important was it, what role did the master play etc…
  4. Explain the importance of technology to the changing sporting practices in America as we moved past the American Revolution and into the early to mid-1800s.
  5. Discuss how the reform movements of the 1st half of the 1800s affected sporting and leisure practices for Americans—be sure to talk about differences because of class, gender, race. 
  6. Explain why baseball develops in America instead of Cricket and why does it replace horse racing and even boating as the dominant sport? 
  7. Explain why historians consider horse racing/harness racing to be the first modern sport in America—do you agree or disagree and why?