The header image can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockfight.
Cockfighting
The sport of cockfighting was considered to be a blood sport that took place between two rosters or gamecocks. These fights would take place inside a ring that was called a cockpit.
Cockfighting is the second most popular sport in colonial America, it falls behind horse racing which is the number one sport in colonial America. Everyone would come out to see the fights that would take place and colonists of all classes owned gamecocks that they could use to fight.
Cockfighting came about in Britain during the 1500's and game to American between the 1750's and 1800's. Colonists would breed and raise gamecocks, so that they could have the best birds available for fighting. Therefore, many gamecocks became to look very similar. They would name the birds, keep them on a special diet, keep them in a certain area of the house, and would exercise them (have them practice) for fights. They would also strap metal spurs to their legs and they were used as weapons.
The fights were considered a formal event because the place, date, and time where published in the newspaper. The fights were often held in tavern yards because the tavern keepers could make money from the viewers who bought food and drink while watching the fights take place. One event might have between 50 to 60 pair of birds fight each other. The birds would fight other birds that fell in the same weight class, much like boxers or wrestlers. The birds would continue to fight each other till one bird was dead or neither bird could fight any longer. At the points a winner was declared and people would collect their bets that they had placed.
Cockfighting is the second most popular sport in colonial America, it falls behind horse racing which is the number one sport in colonial America. Everyone would come out to see the fights that would take place and colonists of all classes owned gamecocks that they could use to fight.
Cockfighting came about in Britain during the 1500's and game to American between the 1750's and 1800's. Colonists would breed and raise gamecocks, so that they could have the best birds available for fighting. Therefore, many gamecocks became to look very similar. They would name the birds, keep them on a special diet, keep them in a certain area of the house, and would exercise them (have them practice) for fights. They would also strap metal spurs to their legs and they were used as weapons.
The fights were considered a formal event because the place, date, and time where published in the newspaper. The fights were often held in tavern yards because the tavern keepers could make money from the viewers who bought food and drink while watching the fights take place. One event might have between 50 to 60 pair of birds fight each other. The birds would fight other birds that fell in the same weight class, much like boxers or wrestlers. The birds would continue to fight each other till one bird was dead or neither bird could fight any longer. At the points a winner was declared and people would collect their bets that they had placed.