History of Lacrosse
The History of Lacrosse
My research paper is about the history of lacrosse and its role in today’s society. I chose this topic because I enjoy lacrosse and I wanted to learn more about the historic sport. My goal for my research paper is to teach others about the sport of lacrosse and how it has evolved, while I learn more myself. The sport of lacrosse, with origins dating back as far as the 1100’s in Mesoamerica, is the oldest sport in North America. The sport of lacrosse was played throughout America and what is known today as Canada by the Native American Indians of all cultures. Indian lacrosse was a mass game, often played between two villages with hundreds or even thousands of participants. The goals were usually separated from 500 yards to ½ mile apart. Occasionally games would be played with goals as far as 15 miles apart. Games would often take place in large plains. A single game would last several days being played from dusk to dawn. The game was played with a ball made out of wood, deerskin stuffed with hair, baked clay, or a stone. The first games were played with large wooden spoon shaped sticks with no netting. Later more advanced sticks were created, consisting of a wooden stick with one end bent into a U shape that was filled with netting made of strong plant roots or large animal tendons. Sticks would range in length from 2-5 feet and would consist of elaborate carvings. A large Tree or rocks were often designated as the goals for most tribes. In Later years tribes would use posts 6 to 9 feet apart, which the ball would have to pass through to score. The object of the game was to pass the ball with your stick to your teammates and hit the designated goal or pass through the goal posts. Rules were that a player could not touch the ball with their hands, and there were no out of bounds. Passing the ball was viewed as a complex skill and that dodging your opponent was a cowardly move. In Native American lacrosse, there was no protective gear
My research paper is about the history of lacrosse and its role in today’s society. I chose this topic because I enjoy lacrosse and I wanted to learn more about the historic sport. My goal for my research paper is to teach others about the sport of lacrosse and how it has evolved, while I learn more myself. The sport of lacrosse, with origins dating back as far as the 1100’s in Mesoamerica, is the oldest sport in North America. The sport of lacrosse was played throughout America and what is known today as Canada by the Native American Indians of all cultures. Indian lacrosse was a mass game, often played between two villages with hundreds or even thousands of participants. The goals were usually separated from 500 yards to ½ mile apart. Occasionally games would be played with goals as far as 15 miles apart. Games would often take place in large plains. A single game would last several days being played from dusk to dawn. The game was played with a ball made out of wood, deerskin stuffed with hair, baked clay, or a stone. The first games were played with large wooden spoon shaped sticks with no netting. Later more advanced sticks were created, consisting of a wooden stick with one end bent into a U shape that was filled with netting made of strong plant roots or large animal tendons. Sticks would range in length from 2-5 feet and would consist of elaborate carvings. A large Tree or rocks were often designated as the goals for most tribes. In Later years tribes would use posts 6 to 9 feet apart, which the ball would have to pass through to score. The object of the game was to pass the ball with your stick to your teammates and hit the designated goal or pass through the goal posts. Rules were that a player could not touch the ball with their hands, and there were no out of bounds. Passing the ball was viewed as a complex skill and that dodging your opponent was a cowardly move. In Native American lacrosse, there was no protective gear