Originally the Olympic games were known to be religious festivals from 776 B.

             This was so because the Roman emperor Theodosius I banned all pagan .

             festivals. These festivals celebrated the Greek god Zeus. The ancient Olympic Games .

             lasted nearly 1,200 years until it ceased. Then in the late 1800"s a frenchman by the name .

             of Baron Pierre de Couhbertin practically revived the Olympics into what we know today .

             as the modern Olympics. In 1896 his hard work paid off, the first modern Olympics was .

             held in Athens Greece. .

             The Olympic Games now was open internationally and many nations could .

             compete in the Games. The Olympics now regained the ideals of excellence .

             of body, mind, and spirit that was shown in the classic Greek Olympic Games. The .

             Athen"s Games of 1896 consisted mostly of track and field and the United States won 9 of .

             the 12 events. Couhbertin would continue as President of the Olympics until 1925 and .

             paved the future of the Games. "Peace" Couhbertin said "would be furthered by the .

             Olympic Games . but peace could be the product only of a better world; a better world .

             could be brought about only by better individuals; and better individuals could be .

             developed only by the give and take, the buffeting and battering, the stress and strain of .

             fierce competition." Now the Olympics are held in Olympiads which consist of four years. .

             (See the charts for the year and location of the Olympic Games.) .

             THE SUMMER OLYMPICS.

             1896 I Athens, GRE 1948 XIV London, GBR.

             .

             1900 II Paris, FRA 1952 XV Helsinki, FIN .

             .

             1904 III St. Louis, USA 1956 XVI Melbourne, AUS.

             .

             1906 IV Athens, GRE 1960 XVII Rome, ITA.

             .

             1908 V London, GBR 1964 XVIII Tokyo, JPN.

             .

             1912 VI Stockholm, SWE 1968 XIX Mexico City, MEX.

             .

             1916 VII Berlin, GER 1972 XX Munich, W. GER.

             .

             1920 VIII Antwerp, BEL 1976 XXI Montreal, CAN.

             .

             1924 IX Paris, FRA 1980 XXII Moscow, USSR.

             .

             1928 X Amsterdam, NET 1984 XXIII Los Angeles, USA.