Games during the Renaissance
The European Renaissance, which lasted from the 15th through the 16th centuries, was an incredibly creative era. The art from that period is well known, but few people know that some of today's most popular games originated around the same time.
For example, the game we know today as golf originated in Scotland in the 1400s. Simpler games involving hitting leather balls on the ground with sticks and aiming at targets such as trees had been around for centuries prior, but during the Renaissance, a game began to be played on what were called courses, with 18 holes as the targets. The courses included obstacles like ponds, sand traps, and trees to make the game harder. These basic features still survive, and are familiar to anyone who has played the modern game.
The modern game of tennis evolved from a popular Renaissance game known as jeu de paume, in which players used a bare hand to hit a ball over a net to an opponent. The balls were originally made of a soft wood called cork, wound in layers of fabric, sewn inside a woolen cover. Over time, gloves were used to protect the hands. In turn, these were replaced by wooden racquets. The new game, tennis, was popular with royalty, especially the kings of France and England, many of whom were enthusiastic players, and promoted the game by building tennis courts and encouraging play among the general public. Many of the earliest tennis courts were indoors.
What feature of games does the text mainly discuss?
A. Their rules
B. Their origins
C. Their popularity
D. Their equipment