1. Puritans at Play The Sporting Life in 17 th and 18 th Century New England

2. I. English Sporting Precedents Medieval Sports dominated by military considerations Hunting and Fishing Medieval “Ball” games Medieval Football Blood or “Butcherly” Sports

3. II. Sports, Puritan Thought and New England Practice Opposition to ball and blood sports Reasons for Puritan opposition to sport Sports as a political and religious issue --The Book of Sports (1618, King James I) Public contempt for Sports

4. II. New England Practice (cont.) The “Howling Wilderness” Sports and Militia Days Most popular pastime: Fishing --Shad and Salmon Club, Hartford, CT Hunting in Colonial New England

5. III. 18 th Century Development in Sport Emergence of modern sport in England --James Figg This aggressive spirit did not spread to New England Horse racing—the only organized spectator sport in 18 th Century New England

6. III. 18 th Century Development in Sport (cont.) Organized horse racing began in Rhode Island Horseracing in Massachusetts Nine-pin Bowling Sports during the American Revolution

7. III. 18 th Century Development in Sport (cont.) Swimming, a “sport of opportunity” Sports and New England women Emergence of spas for the wealthy in the 1760’s Mineral springs were first colonial “resorts”

8. IV. Games and Gambling: Puritan Thought and New England Practice Puritan view of gambling Colonial gaming laws Origins of card playing --Charles VI of France (1392), first set of cards Puritan views of card playing Positive benefits of card playing Especially popular among lower classes

9. IV. Games and Gambling (cont.) Whist Quadrille, all fours, cribbage, piquet Popular Tavern games Backgammon Dice Games Mixed View of Lotteries Lotteries during the Revolution and the Early Republic period

10. “A Sport Only For Gentlemen” Horseracing in Colonial Virginia

11. I. Early Virginia Horseracing Origins of Spontaneous racing 17 th Century racing practices Quarter Horses Importance of Arabian Blood Important colonial horseowners --John Tayloe II --William Byrd III

12. II. Changes in 18 th Century Racing Circular, mile-long tracks Subscription Races First Intercolonial race Nature of colonial horseracing Horseracing was an economic asset to colonial Virginia