USA: How it Got Started Quiz

PDF page 30: The United States was a little slower in accepting physical activity as a necessary component of everyday life; however, the beginnings of organized physical activity in the USA can be traced to the mid-1800s. Though America ended up creating its unique system of physical education, it had many influences, including German and Swedish gymnastic groups, the publications of Catharine Beecher who advocated for and provided exercises that could be implemented in the classrooms for both girl and boy students, other physical activity programs from around the globe, and religious beliefs (Stillwell & Willgoose, 2006; Siedentop, 2006).

PDF page 30: The United States was a little slower in accepting physical activity as a necessary component of everyday life; however, the beginnings of organized physical activity in the USA can be traced to the mid-1800s. Though America ended up creating its unique system of physical education, it had many influences, including German and Swedish gymnastic groups, the publications of Catharine Beecher who advocated for and provided exercises that could be implemented in the classrooms for both girl and boy students, other physical activity programs from around the globe, and religious beliefs (Stillwell & Willgoose, 2006; Siedentop, 2006).

PDF page 30: The United States was a little slower in accepting physical activity as a necessary component of everyday life; however, the beginnings of organized physical activity in the USA can be traced to the mid-1800s. Though America ended up creating its unique system of physical education, it had many influences, including German and Swedish gymnastic groups, the publications of Catharine Beecher who advocated for and provided exercises that could be implemented in the classrooms for both girl and boy students, other physical activity programs from around the globe, and religious beliefs (Stillwell & Willgoose, 2006; Siedentop, 2006).

PDF page 30: The Young Men’s Christian Association, or YMCA, played a critical role in the development of PE in America. The YMCA began in London in 1844. The Young Women’s Christian Association, or YWCA, was founded in 1894. As originally conceptualized, the YMCA and YWCA encouraged Bible studies rather than exercise. However, when the organizations started opening chapters in the United States and Canada, its leaders found that Bible study classes did not attract as many young men and women as the gymnasiums of the Swiss and German gymnastic clubs. Consequently, many YMCA and YWCA buildings built after 1880 included weight rooms, gymnasiums, and swimming pools. As a result of the popularity of the YMCA and YWCA, the philosophy of pragmatism and the modern Olympic movement, games, sports, and dance increasingly replaced formal gymnastic/calisthenic systems at the beginning of the 20th century (Brettschneider, Brandl-Bredenbeck, & Rees, 1997).

PDF page 30: The Young Men’s Christian Association, or YMCA, played a critical role in the development of PE in America. The YMCA began in London in 1844. The Young Women’s Christian Association, or YWCA, was founded in 1894. As originally conceptualized, the YMCA and YWCA encouraged Bible studies rather than exercise. However, when the organizations started opening chapters in the United States and Canada, its leaders found that Bible study classes did not attract as many young men and women as the gymnasiums of the Swiss and German gymnastic clubs. Consequently, many YMCA and YWCA buildings built after 1880 included weight rooms, gymnasiums, and swimming pools. As a result of the popularity of the YMCA and YWCA, the philosophy of pragmatism and the modern Olympic movement, games, sports, and dance increasingly replaced formal gymnastic/calisthenic systems at the beginning of the 20th century (Brettschneider, Brandl-Bredenbeck, & Rees, 1997).

PDF page 30: The Young Men’s Christian Association, or YMCA, played a critical role in the development of PE in America. The YMCA began in London in 1844. The Young Women’s Christian Association, or YWCA, was founded in 1894. As originally conceptualized, the YMCA and YWCA encouraged Bible studies rather than exercise. However, when the organizations started opening chapters in the United States and Canada, its leaders found that Bible study classes did not attract as many young men and women as the gymnasiums of the Swiss and German gymnastic clubs. Consequently, many YMCA and YWCA buildings built after 1880 included weight rooms, gymnasiums, and swimming pools. As a result of the popularity of the YMCA and YWCA, the philosophy of pragmatism and the modern Olympic movement, games, sports, and dance increasingly replaced formal gymnastic/calisthenic systems at the beginning of the 20th century (Brettschneider, Brandl-Bredenbeck, & Rees, 1997).

PDF page 30: The Young Men’s Christian Association, or YMCA, played a critical role in the development of PE in America. The YMCA began in London in 1844. The Young Women’s Christian Association, or YWCA, was founded in 1894. As originally conceptualized, the YMCA and YWCA encouraged Bible studies rather than exercise. However, when the organizations started opening chapters in the United States and Canada, its leaders found that Bible study classes did not attract as many young men and women as the gymnasiums of the Swiss and German gymnastic clubs. Consequently, many YMCA and YWCA buildings built after 1880 included weight rooms, gymnasiums, and swimming pools. As a result of the popularity of the YMCA and YWCA, the philosophy of pragmatism and the modern Olympic movement, games, sports, and dance increasingly replaced formal gymnastic/calisthenic systems at the beginning of the 20th century (Brettschneider, Brandl-Bredenbeck, & Rees, 1997).

PDF page 30: Surprisingly, many Americans were not physically fit for military service during World War I, and many post-war efforts tried to implement physical education at all levels of schooling (Massengale, John, & Swanson, 1997). During World War II, physical fitness was again required of soldiers and civilians (including women) since the war effort required manual labor. However, soldiers once again lacked sufficient physical fitness to fulfill the requirements. After the war, schools instituted more rigorous PE requirements as America adopted a greater

PDF page 30: By the 1950s, there were over 400 colleges and universities in the USA offering majors in physical education, and there was increasing recognition of the scientific foundation of PE. Despite the progress, the American army's fitness in the Korean War fell short of expectations

PDF page 30: By the 1950s, there were over 400 colleges and universities in the USA offering majors in physical education, and there was increasing recognition of the scientific foundation of PE. Despite the progress, the American army's fitness in the Korean War fell short of expectations

PDF page 31: again (Kelly & Melograno, 2004). Hence, the federal government attempted to set up the President's Council on Physical Fitness, which was supposed to raise fitness standards in schools across the country. Unfortunately, the series of recessions in the 1970s and the 1980s brought about cutbacks in many school programs, including physical education (Lumpkin, 2004). By the end of the 1970s, interest in the President's Council had waned, and physical education courses began to emphasize lifetime sports (Zeigler, 2005).

PDF page 31: School programs were dominated by curricular innovations such as movement education, adventure education, cooperative games, and activities for girls and persons with disabilities. One of the most significant shifts of the 1970ʼs was the Title IX amendment to the Federal Education Act, which stipulated that all federally funded education programs could not discriminate based on gender (Lumpkin, 2004). Enforcement of Title IX opened many opportunities for women in competitive athletics at high school and collegiate levels. However, American physical education took another step back in the '80s and '90s as the education system underwent a period of educational reforms (Kelly & Melograno, 2004; Hendl & Vindušková, 2004; Jelínková, 1993). Due to the poor quality of curriculum standards, school districts started limiting the time students spent in physical education classes or even dropping the programs altogether. One promising step concerning the future of physical education was the publication of the National Standards for Physical Education (NASPE, 2004). This document establishes content standards for physical education school programs, concentrates on "movement" education, and emphasizes the lifelong physical activity of the population (Dobrý