Spread of Lacrosse Globally

When European colonizers came upon North America, they were experiencing a new world of culture for the first time. Native Americans had already conquered the continent, and with their settlements they brought lacrosse.

Lacrosse held a special place in Native American society, being played for a myriad of reasons, ranging from war to simple games of leisure. The original lacrosse that the Native Americans played was totally different from the modern version played today, as the competition was much more fierce and the rules were not as regulated.

Lacrosse was incredibly important to the Native Americans, being so integrated into society that it was an expected facet of Native life. This can be seen in the Iroquois Constitution by Chief Dekanawidah, in which he explicitly mentions the love of lacrosse while delivering a eulogy for a deceased Chief. Lacrosse was so important to the man that he made sure the game played a part in his eulogy, showing the overall signifigance of the sport in society. 

There were many versions of "ball and stick" games that are all categorized under the same umbrella. These games had differences ranging from the type of stick used to the types of hits prohibited on the field. It was an amalgamation of all these different sports that evolved into the modern game of lacrosse.

"Orgin and History" by Jane Clayden displays many details of the game, describing the rules in relative detail. In general, the game was played in wide open fields, with goal posts set up to a mile apart. Passing the ball was rare, as typically the strategy was to pick up the ball and fling it downfield in an attempt to win another ground ball closer to the enemy goal. Injuries were common, if not expected, as broken legs and arms were the least of players worries, with death during the game being an accepted outcome.

This map is meant to be viewed point by point, aslacrosse goes from Native American territories to the United States and Canada, to traveling overseas.

With lacrosse being prevalent throughout the North American continent, the geographical history of the game is very varied. Along with the Native American territories, there are some significant locations that cross America where Europeans saw lacrosse and began to spread information about it. 

When Europeans witnessed lacrosse it did not immediately catch on, rather it was the concerted effort of a few very determined men that got the sport national, and international attention. William George Beers established the first real lacrosse league in Canada, with written rules and regulated games, and he brought the sport to the UK with exhibition matches in front of the Queen herself. Another important player in spreading lacrosse was Lambdon L. Mount, who brought lacrosse over to Australia. 

With the interactive map it becomes abundantly obvious that these efforts brought the game over the oceans, and that the European appropriation of lacrosse was directly responsible for the spread of the game across the world.