Changes

Jump to: navigation, search

How did the workweek develop

173 bytes added, 10:32, 9 May 2018
Early Origins
==Early Origins==
The origin of the 7-seven day week originate in ancient Mesopotamia, from Sumerian-Babylonian culture that likely developed about 5000 years ago. The Babylonians saw that 7 seven was a type of 'divine' number, with seven major planets and group of seven gods signifying aspects of the relevance for the number 7seven (Figure 1). This concept led them to divide time in weeks with 7 being the key division in a week. The names of the week were named after gods and this is also true in our modern system. Thursday, for example, was meant to be Thor's Day, that is the day of Thor in the Anglo-Saxon language.
While what was the Sumerian-Babylonian concept of week eventually influenced the Hebrew calendar and later the Western calendar through adoption in the Classical world, the idea of a workweek had not developed fully in the ancient world. Among the closest, however, was the Jewish use of the weekly calendar, where there would be six days of work and one Sabbath day based on the interpretation that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. This did influence what became the Christian week, where the Sabbath was effectively Sunday. In the Medieval period in Europe, people were expected to work throughout the week and on Sunday worship in their local perish.
There were other calendars and forms of workweeks. For instance, the Romans used a system where eight days of work were expected then there was one day off. This was also true for schoolchildren who were given an eight day off. Often, the eight day would be a market day where families and individuals would have time to shop. During the French Revolution, a ten day schedule for work was expected before a day off was given, as a secular system began, for the first time, to be imposed for time off rather than using the Christian calendar.
 
[[File:Sack of jerusalem.JPG|thumb|Figure 1. The Hebrew calendar and concept of seven day week was heavily influenced by the Babylonian calendar. ]]
==Industrial Revolution Influence==

Navigation menu