"In 'The Shared Origins of Football, Rugby, and Soccer,' Christopher Rowley reveals how ball games arose and took shape into seven distinct forms: American football, association football, Canadian football, Gaelic football, rugby league football, and rugby union football. Rowley traces ball games back to the Mayans in Mes-America and the Han Dynasty in China, through ancient Egypt and Greece, and on through the rise of football in England and Scotland. His narrative includes the relatively recent development of rules, codes, and leagues and concludes with the current state of football worldwide. Based on survuvung documents and illustrations, the author re-creates ancient games from around the globe and relates firsthand accounts of fossil games still played today. Through careful research, the common ancestry of our modern seven codes of football is finally pieced together to create a fascinating history. 'The Shared origins of Football, Rugby, and Soccer' takes the reader through this unique odyssey and brings to life the little-known games of the past"--Page 4 of cover.

Ancient games -- From Greece to the cradle -- The cradle of football -- The Middle Ages -- The age of rules : part I -- The age of rules : part II -- Throughout the world -- The Football Association and Football League -- Rugby Union, Rugby League, and Gaelic football -- Soccer goes global -- The United States : the exception and the rule -- On to the modern world.