The passage discusses the history of hula hooping. It traces the use of hoops as toys back to ancient Egypt in 1000 BC. Hoops were also popular recreation in ancient Greece and Britain in the 14th century. The term "hula" entered English in the 1700s when British sailors witnessed Hawaiian dancing without hoops. Hoops featured prominently in Native American ritual dances. The plastic hula hoop gained international popularity in the late 1950s when Wham-O successfully marketed it, selling 25 million units in under 4 months.