Today we"re celebrating a necessary staple of fairs, carnivals, and boardwalks: the merry-go-round. You may know it as a carousel, like the Golden Gallopers Carousel at the seaside in Brighton, England, seen in today"s photo. The word "carousel" is possibly derived from the Spanish "carosella," meaning "little war." Carousels have a history that goes back centuries, with roots in medieval jousting competitions. As the war game grew in popularity, commoners without horses wanted to participate, and carousels with wooden horses soon appeared at fairgrounds. The popularity of carousels led to many advancements over the years, including the up and down galloping menagerie of animals real and imagined, and the instantly recognizable music that became widespread after 1803.
National Merry-Go-Round Day
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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When Death Valley blew its top
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Horseshoe Bend, Arizona
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In praise of the pipes
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Getting to the bottom of the underwater waterfall
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Computer science on the page
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A history of Vinland
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International Day of the Tropics
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Hallstatt, Austria
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Our Lady of the Rocks
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World Rainforest Day
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Gateway to America
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The fantastic winter fox
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The National Museum of the American Indian
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Pretty poetic for a pit
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St. Patricks Day
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Shhh, the movie is about to start
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Christmas Bird Count
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Drop in on International Surfing Day
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Agüero, Huesca province, Spain
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Pride 2022
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Groundhog Day
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Don’t get lost in there
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Ahh-tumn
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The roots of invention
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Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
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Lakeside serenity in Finland
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North Sea at sunset, Norddorf, Germany
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Merry Christmas
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Can you see the family resemblance?
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Rock House in Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio