Fourth Grade
Worksheets
On Guard! The Sport of Fencing
On guard (or en garde)! Does this phrase create images in your mind? Does it make you think of Robin Hood's merry men? Or swashbuckling heroes swinging from chandeliers? In the movies, these sword-slashing actors move fast. They leap across staircases and anything else that gets in their way. The sport of fencing also features sword fighters that move quickly, but its athletes don't cover great distances. They don't leap over obstacles. Their area for competition is only six feet wide and forty feet long!
Many cultures have enjoyed sword fighting in various forms. The ancient Egyptians performed stick fencing. They did this sport as a tribute to the powerful pharaoh. Egyptian military men used its discipline to train for war. Stick fighting taught them important fighting skills and made them strong warriors. Royal families in Egypt learned martial arts in order to protect themselves. After all, pharaoh's kin never knew when an assassin might attack.
Later, in the Middle Ages, jousting was a common sport. Young boys called squires used small, blunt swords to practice fighting as part of their training to become knights. Later, as true knights, they used heavier weapons. Their battle swords had sharp edges and could slice right through armor! The two edges of the sword symbolized that the knight served God and the people. Knights enjoyed fighting in tournaments for the honor of their favorite ladies. These contests were exciting! The winners received glory, honor, and prizes.
