Festivals & Rituals DBQ Sample
Score = 9
Rituals and festivals have served many purposes throughout human history. This is
especially true in Europe. Rituals and festivals, in traditional European life, were used as tools to
achieve political goals, impose social norms and provided a religious justification for partying.
Rituals and festivals served a political purpose in traditional European life. They were
used by governments to instill patriotism. Brother Giovanni Di Carlo, a Dominican monk, notes
that a Florentine festival, in which the sons of city officials mirrored their fathers, was “truly
lovely for citizens” and demonstrated the “regal magnificence of the most ample senate” (Doc
1). If this did not make common citizens proud of their government, it certainly did so in the
sons who took part as Giovanni continues to point out. Giovanni di Carlo’s description of the
festival is likely credible, legitimate and free from bias. As a monk, he has no direct ties to the
states, making him a neutral observer. Thus, he doesn’t have any agenda, and is just describing
the event. Governments also used rituals and festivals as a way to establish and secure law and
order. A Russian official accurately portrays this use of rituals when he describes how a women
who violated a rule about berry-picking was brought before the community by an officer and
publicly humiliated in a community ritual. The way she was punished was likely extreme but
this prevented her from doing it again. Furthermore, the punishment wasn’t contested because
it was a ritual and a social accepted one as well. The Russian official specifically notes that “the
thought of complaining against the offenders never entered her mind” (Doc 10). This is clear
use of rituals by the government. This interpretation of the use of rituals is even more credible
because it is based off a fair and balanced source. The Russian official has no specific
perspective nor source of prejudice. He is simply filing a report on the incident, and nothing
more. Thus, this should be an accurate report of the event. Governments weren’t the only ones
who used them for political gain. Commoners also used rituals and festivals as a means to
organize political protests. A French police inspector in the 19th century describes how students
used the common ritual known as the “Charivari” to brew political protest (Doc 7). The
Charivari was used because it allowed people to gather easily, however, once the commoners
dropped their cultural pretense, “the political nature of these gatherings appeared” (Doc 7).
Once again, the perspective of the French police inspector is credible and accurate. His task was
to objectively report on the activities and the cause of the disturbance. He had no other goals
or prejudices. So, the report is likely objective and a good source of historical information. It is
clear that rituals and festivals were used as political tools by both governments and subjects in
traditional European life.
Rituals and festivals were also used to impose social norms on individuals. In traditional
European life, the concept of a town and community was taken in the most literal sense.
Everthing was much smaller and therefore, all actions were more public. So, word would spread
quickly across a town and people could know who violated common practices and then punish
them. This is clearly what happened in traditional Europe. The best example of this is a ritual
known as “riding the stang” (Doc 8). “Riding the Stang” was a ritual that publicly humiliated
women who abused their husbands. They paraded the abuser through the nearest town,
“hurling insults and scolding her along the way” (D0c 8). The fact that this is ritual does two
things. First, it allows for harsh punishment and second, there would be no complaints about
the punishment as the English author, Elizabeth Gaskell notes. Elizabeth Gaskell describes the
point of view of the locals. Being an English author, her description of an English ritual means
that it contains an understanding of the nuances of the practice. Furthermore, because she is
writing to a stranger to the ritual, she is more descriptive and provides a careful explanation of
it as well. Rituals also imposed norms on men as well, for example, when a man abused his
wife. Once again, a stang song from England, says that if a man beats his wife, “then take his
skin to the tanners” (Doc 9). This is not just an individual call to action. The song specifically
calls for “all ye old women” to help as well (Doc 9). This is a public ritual that is designed to
deter a specific type of action. Similarly, as the Russian official notes, the recourse taken against
a woman who violated a berry picking norm wasn’t taken to court, she was publicly shamed in a
ritualistic fashion (Doc 10). Rituals were commonly used to impose social norms on individuals.
The final purpose that festivals served was they provided a religious justification for
partying and in some cases, they just were for fun with no justification at all. Initially, many
festivals served a solely religious purpose. However, as time progressed, festivals simply broke
down into a time for fun. This is shown in Peter Brueghl’s Battle between Carnival and Lent.
Within the painting, he shows how a party-goer/layman, jousts a nun. This symbolizes the
tension between fun and religion as festivals. However, the fact that clearly the nuns and
church officials are the minority in the painting, Brueghl is showing how the festivals became
largely a time for fun. One can clearly see this on a smaller level as well. Baltasar Rusow, a
Lutheran pastor, notes that a Saints Day Festival was marked by “flames of joy” and “great
pleasure” (Doc 2). People would have justified their action by believing that they partying to
celebrate a saint. The description of the Baltasar Rusow has to be taken with a grain of salt. As a
Lutheran monk, he would be opposed to the celebration in of itself because it venerates a saint,
but Lutherans don’t venerate saints. And simply being a pastor, means he would be opposed to
immoral behavior. Thus, his description is likely to be overly critical as he is social conservative.
More often than not though, festivals simply dropped the religious pretense. R. Lassels, a
French traveler, stated that “all activity is allowed the Italians that they may give a little vent to
their spirits” (Doc 5). Most simply wanted to have fun and take a break. Lassels’ point of view is
very credible in this situation. Being an outsider, he is likely to be objective in his analysis since
he has no stake in the matter, meaning he would be more honest and upfront. Similarly, Henry
Bourne, describing the Midsummer Night Festival, describes how there is no particular reason
for the celebration. It is just a time for merriment, dancing and singing (Doc 6). Thus one can
clearly see that many festivals provided a religious justification for fun and others were just for
fun with no particular reason.
Rituals and festivals in tradition European life were used as political tools, a way to
impose social norms on individuals and provided a religious justification for partying. Others
were just for fun. It is clear that rituals and festivals played an enormous role in traditional
European life.