A History of the Olympic Games

A painting of the 100-meter race at the 1896 Olympics in Athens, Greece. It was the first Olympics held in 1,500 years since

the games had ended during the Roman Empire. Painting from the public domain

The Olympic Games, which originated in ancient Greece as many as 3,000 years ago, were

revived in the late 19th century and have become the world’s most famous sporting

competition. From the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D., the Games were held every

four years in Olympia, in Greece, in honor of the god Zeus. The first modern Olympics took

place in 1896 in Athens, Greece. Almost 250 athletes from 14 nations competed in 43 events.

Since then, the Olympics have been held every four years, except during the two world wars.

But starting in 1994, the Winter Olympic Games were held two years before the Summer

Olympic Games.

The first written records of the ancient Olympic Games are from 776 B.C. Coroebus, a cook,

became the first Olympic champion, when he won the only event – a 192-meter (693 feet)

footrace, called the stade. The arena where the stade took place became known as the

"stadium." However, many believe that the Games had been going on for many years. Greek

mythology told of Heracles, son of Zeus (Hercules, the son of Jupiter to the Romans), who

founded the Games. By the end of the 6th century B.C., the Olympics had become the most

famous of all Greek sporting festivals. The ancient Olympics were held every four years

between August 6 and September 19 during a religious festival honoring Zeus. The Games

By History.com, adapted by Newsela staff on 06.19.17

Word Count 831

Level 1120L

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1

were named for their location at Olympia, near the western coast of southern Greece. Ancient

historians began to measure time by the four-year period between Olympic Games. Each four

years was known as an Olympiad.

More events were included in the Olympics

After 13 Olympiads, two more races joined the stade as Olympic events: the diaulos (almost

equal to today’s 400-meter race), and the dolichos (a longer-distance race, between 1,500

and 5,000 meters). The pentathlon (five contests), which included a foot race, a long jump,

throwing the discus and javelin, and a wrestling match began in 708 B.C. Boxing was added in

688 B.C. and chariot racing in 680 B.C. Pankration, which combined both boxing and

wrestling in a violent sport with almost no rules, began in 648 B.C. Only men could compete in

the games and married women were prohibited from attending the competition.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2

Even though the Roman Empire conquered Greece in the mid-2nd century B.C., the Games

continued. But the quality and fairness in the contests began to change. One famous example

from A.D. 67 involved the Emperor Nero. He entered an Olympic chariot race, fell off his

chariot, but still announced he was the winner. About 225 years later, Roman Emperor

Theodosius I was a Christian. He felt that festivals honoring the pagan Greek gods must end,

so the Olympic games were banned and not seen again for the next 1,500 years.

In the late 1800s, French leaders began to stress the importance of physical education. In

November 1892, at a meeting in Paris, Baron Pierre de Coubertin proposed the idea of

reviving the Olympics as an international athletic competition held every four years. Two years

later, he got the approval he needed to start the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It

makes the rules for the modern Olympic Games.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3

Athens held the first modern Olympics

The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. In the opening ceremony,

King Georgios I and a crowd of 60,000 spectators welcomed 250 athletes from 14 nations

who would compete in 43 events, including track and field, gymnastics, swimming, wrestling,

cycling, tennis, weightlifting, shooting and fencing. Since then, there have been Olympic

Games every four years. But, no Games took place in 1916, during World War I, and in 1940

and 1944, during World War II. The official symbol of the modern Games is five interlocking

colored rings, representing the continents of North and South America, Asia, Africa, Europe

and Australia. The Olympic flag, featuring this symbol on a white background, first flew at the

1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium.

The Olympics truly took off as an international sporting event after 1924, when the VIII Games

were held in Paris. Some 3,000 athletes (with more than 100 women among them) from 44

nations competed that year. For the first time, the Games featured a closing ceremony. The

Winter Olympics debuted that year, including such events as figure skating, ice hockey,

bobsledding and the biathlon (cross-country skiing and rifle shooting). However, starting in

1994, the Winter Olympic Games were held two years before the Summer Olympic Games. In

2004, Summer Olympics returned to Athens for the first time in more than a century, where

nearly 11,000 athletes from a record 201 countries competed. In a gesture that joined both

ancient and modern Olympic traditions, the shot-put competition that year was held at the site

of the classical Games in Olympia.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4

Quiz

1 Read the following paragraph.

After 13 Olympiads, two more races joined the stade as Olympicevents: the diaulos (almost equal to today’s 400-meter race), and thedolichos (a longer-distance race, between 1,500 and 5,000 meters).The pentathlon (five contests), which included a foot race, a longjump, throwing the discus and javelin, and a wrestling match began in708 B.C. Boxing was added in 688 B.C. and chariot racing in 680 B.C.Pankration, which combined both boxing and wrestling in a violentsport with almost no rules, began in 648 B.C. Only men couldcompete in the games and married women were prohibited fromattending the competition.

Why does the author include this paragraph in the article?

(A) To explain the unfair rules of participation still exist today

(B) To reveal how grueling the Olympic events were for athletes

(C) To provide details about the length and rigor of Olympic events

(D) To demonstrate how the Olympic events changed and evolved over time

2 Which of the following options BEST supports the idea that the Olympic games could have

occurred long before Coroebus became the first Olympic champion?

(A) The arena where the stade took place became known as the "stadium."

(B) The first written records of the ancient Olympic Games are from 776 B.C.

(C) Coroebus, a cook, became the first Olympic champion, when he won the only

event – a 192-meter (693 feet) footrace, called the stade.

(D) Ancient historians began to measure time by the four-year period between

Olympic Games. Each four years was known as an Olympiad.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 5

3 Read the paragraph from the section "Athens held the first modern Olympics."

The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Inthe opening ceremony, King Georgios I and a crowd of 60,000spectators welcomed 250 athletes from 14 nations who wouldcompete in 43 events, including track and field, gymnastics, swimming,wrestling, cycling, tennis, weightlifting, shooting and fencing. Sincethen, there have been Olympic Games every four years. But, noGames took place in 1916, during World War I, and in 1940 and 1944,during World War II. The official symbol of the modern Games is fiveinterlocking colored rings, representing the continents of North andSouth America, Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia. The Olympic flag,featuring this symbol on a white background, first flew at the 1920Games in Antwerp, Belgium.

What does this paragraph accomplish?

(A) It disproves the idea the Olympic games could only occur in Greece.

(B) It shows how the modern Olympic games are a global event for athletes of

many nations.

(C) It presents details around why the Olympic games did not occur during the two

world wars.

(D) It provides details about the importance of royals in welcoming global athletes

to the games.

4 All four sentences given below help make the claim that the modern Olympics became the

premiere competition for global athletes.

Which of the following is the STRONGEST piece of evidence to support the claim?

(A) The Olympic flag, featuring this symbol on a white background, first flew at the

1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium.

(B) In 2004, Summer Olympics returned to Athens for the first time in more than a

century.

(C) The Olympics truly took off as an international sporting event after 1924, when

the VIII Games were held in Paris.

(D) The Winter Olympics debuted that year, including such events as figure

skating, ice hockey, bobsledding and the biathlon (cross-country skiing and rifle

shooting).

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 6

Answer Key

1 Read the following paragraph.

After 13 Olympiads, two more races joined the stade as Olympicevents: the diaulos (almost equal to today’s 400-meter race), and thedolichos (a longer-distance race, between 1,500 and 5,000 meters).The pentathlon (five contests), which included a foot race, a longjump, throwing the discus and javelin, and a wrestling match began in708 B.C. Boxing was added in 688 B.C. and chariot racing in 680 B.C.Pankration, which combined both boxing and wrestling in a violentsport with almost no rules, began in 648 B.C. Only men couldcompete in the games and married women were prohibited fromattending the competition.

Why does the author include this paragraph in the article?

(A) To explain the unfair rules of participation still exist today

(B) To reveal how grueling the Olympic events were for athletes

(C) To provide details about the length and rigor of Olympic events

(D) To demonstrate how the Olympic events changed and evolved over

time

2 Which of the following options BEST supports the idea that the Olympic games could have

occurred long before Coroebus became the first Olympic champion?

(A) The arena where the stade took place became known as the "stadium."

(B) The first written records of the ancient Olympic Games are from 776

B.C.

(C) Coroebus, a cook, became the first Olympic champion, when he won the only

event – a 192-meter (693 feet) footrace, called the stade.

(D) Ancient historians began to measure time by the four-year period between

Olympic Games. Each four years was known as an Olympiad.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 7

3 Read the paragraph from the section "Athens held the first modern Olympics."

The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Inthe opening ceremony, King Georgios I and a crowd of 60,000spectators welcomed 250 athletes from 14 nations who wouldcompete in 43 events, including track and field, gymnastics, swimming,wrestling, cycling, tennis, weightlifting, shooting and fencing. Sincethen, there have been Olympic Games every four years. But, noGames took place in 1916, during World War I, and in 1940 and 1944,during World War II. The official symbol of the modern Games is fiveinterlocking colored rings, representing the continents of North andSouth America, Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia. The Olympic flag,featuring this symbol on a white background, first flew at the 1920Games in Antwerp, Belgium.

What does this paragraph accomplish?

(A) It disproves the idea the Olympic games could only occur in Greece.

(B) It shows how the modern Olympic games are a global event for

athletes of many nations.

(C) It presents details around why the Olympic games did not occur during the two

world wars.

(D) It provides details about the importance of royals in welcoming global athletes

to the games.

4 All four sentences given below help make the claim that the modern Olympics became the

premiere competition for global athletes.

Which of the following is the STRONGEST piece of evidence to support the claim?

(A) The Olympic flag, featuring this symbol on a white background, first flew at the

1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium.

(B) In 2004, Summer Olympics returned to Athens for the first time in more than a

century.

(C) The Olympics truly took off as an international sporting event after

1924, when the VIII Games were held in Paris.

(D) The Winter Olympics debuted that year, including such events as figure

skating, ice hockey, bobsledding and the biathlon (cross-country skiing and rifle

shooting).

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 8