The first settlers to colonize the new world came from diverse national origins. While they brought the different customs and pastimes of their homelands, they were bound together by a common desire for freedom and a common struggle for survival. The development of sport in America was influenced not only by these settlers by also by native American Indians and by the African slaves. Although early religious restrictions and work demands necessary for survival allowed little opportunity for recreation, the settlers’ strong tradition for sports survived and developed into a major element of American culture by the nineteenth century. After towns and cities became well established, Americans adopted some native Indian sports along with some African dance styles.