Informative Speech Essay

Submitted By Sophie-Lutz
Words: 1062
Pages: 5

Introduction
Attn. Getter: The Olympic Creed says, “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”
Link: The Olympics games have been around for thousands of years, bringing forth athletes from 5 continents of all ethnicities and backgrounds. The Games have served as a symbol of unity, dating back to the ancient world. There have been many unforgettable moments involving triumph, excellence, pride, and competition.
Thesis: All of these defining moments compel people all over the nation to indulge in a piece of this history.
Preview: From ancient times to their evolution into modern day, the Olympics have had a global effect.
Main Point number one: The ancient games
The Olympic Games have been around for centuries, dating all the way back even to ancient times. Olympic.org says that the games originated in 776 b.c. and according to legend, were brought about as a ceremony to honor the Greek god, Zues at Mount Olympus. Although honoring Zeus just started out as a small celebration among Olympia’s people, it evolved into a contest bringing athletes from every corner of the ancient world. Olympic.org states that all male Greek citizens were able to participate in the Games, no matter what social rank they were, but women were prohibited from participating in, or even just watching the games. According to HNN, a mother went as far as disguising herself as a male trainer just to see her son compete in the games. The first games were drastically different than ours today in that they only had a few events and lasted about a day. Historic World Events said that the first games only consisted of foot racing and wrestling, while it wasn’t until seventh-century b.c. that new events like chariot racing and horse riding were brought in. Victory was of superior importance at this time and the winner was known and recognized throughout the nation. History News Network said that the ancient games only had one winner, who then received a crown of olive leaves and a statue on himself put up in Olympia in his honor. Olympic.org says that the Greeks continued to hold Olympic Games until they were abolished by the Roman emperor, Theodosius, in 393 c.e. The games were put off for 1,500 years, until they were revived in 1896.
Main Point number two: The modern games
By the time the Olympics came back around there many new ideas and changes that came about with these modern times. In the article “Modern Olympics” it is said that Coubertin brought back the Olympics in 1896, which were to be held in Athens, Greece, when he organized the International Olympic Committee. With the revitalized games came many updates, since we were now capable of many new feats due to the modern technologies. The article continues to say that one major change to the games was that it was now going to take place every four years in a different city and country. It was important to set up the games on an international level so we could see the great athletes from countries all over the world. Since the first games, it has been a tradition for the host country to show its cultural background at an opening and closing ceremony. Another addition to these new games was the development of three important symbols: the rings, the torch, and the motto. According to Olympic Museum, The 5 rings symbolozize the 5 participating continents, the flame represents friendship, with the torch usually traveling across many countries, and the motto, “Faster, Higher, Stronger” pushes athletes to go beyond the normal limits. The present games now feature several new events such as gymnastics, swimming, and tennis, and with the addition of the Winter Games, which HNN said began in 1924 in Chamonix, France, came new events played on snow and ice, such as skiing, snowboarding, and figure skating. These modernized