Physical Education during The Enlightenment: History and Immediate Affects

From kindergarten to twelfth grade, one may be required to take many different types of physical education and health classes. In the first few years they more than likely would have learned some of the basic movements: hop, skip, jump, and gallop. As the years pass, they would go on to learn how to play different sports and proceed to specialize in different aspects of sports. Today the United States is facing an epidemic in which parents could outlive their children due to unhealthy bodies. The physical well being of the younger generation is a hot topic in many different school districts, as many children are not active enough. However physical education was not always promoted to children throughout history. One of the first physical education movements to strike Europe was during the Age of Enlightenment. This movement was prompted by many different philosophers who were pursuing more individuality and tolerance from governments and the Church. Throughout history the study of physical education has occurred, but during the Age of Enlightenment, physical education became a major study throughout Europe and its effects are still seen today.

The Age of Enlightenment is classified as, “The process of making bright that which is dark.” Many countries in Europe were left at unrest as many of the “old” forms of government began to lose support from citizens. During this time many countries were going through economic and political changes. The feudalism form of government was in great decline and parts of the middle class became more important to the government. With the expansion into the “new world”, new markets were booming dramatically. Science was becoming a discipline alone and many citizens began challenging ...

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...ount of room for students, many other institutions began developing their own physical education classes which encouraged the spread of physical education throughout Europe.

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