Tents have been a part of the human fiber for thousands of years. They have served as homes to many people in various areas of the world, have played a huge role in camping activities in modern days and have always offered a place for protection from many environmental elements. Tents have been used in many forms throughout the agricultural world for protecting crops and plants and have housed armies as well as nomadic people. > Read more here http://www.whatcampingtent.com/blog/history-of-the-tent/

1. The Camping
Tent’s History
-
What Camping
Tent
Mark Jonson

2. The Camping Tent’s History - What Camping
Tent
Tents have been a part of the human ber for thousands of years. They have
served as homes to many people in various areas of the world, have played a huge
role in camping activities in modern days and have always offered a place for
protection from many environmental elements. Tents have been used in many
forms throughout the agricultural world for protecting crops and plants and have
housed armies as well as nomadic people.
The designs of tents have drastically changed over the years from those of the
plains Native Americans’ teepees to constructed shelters used as far back as
Ancient Egypt. The modern tent’s design and structure is somewhat the same,
but with modern improvements. A piece of fabric or animal skin draped over
poles and secured, one way or another, to the ground. This very simple design
has offered shade from blazing sun to warmth and comfort during storms.
TheCamping Tent’sHistoryWhatCamping Tent

3. The Camping Tent’s History - What Camping
Tent
The First Tents
The submission of a young maharaja the the British empire in 1846(Sikh War)
Archeologists have unearthed some rather sophisticated tent designs that date
back to B.C. Recently, a tent ruin was discovered in Russia that is believed to date
back to 40,000 B.C., making this the oldest tent ever found, to date.
TheCamping Tent’sHistory-WhatCamping Tent

4. The Camping Tent’s History - What Camping
Tent
Tents have been mentioned in the Bible:
“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your
habitations: spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.” – Isaiah
54:2
Tents were one of the most common homes throughout the Middle East and
Northern Africa in B.C. All ancient tents were constructed with wooden supports
and stakes, ropes, animal hides, leather and other materials. Their structures
were not much different from the tents people use for camping today.
The rst 50,000 years of human history, the tent has stayed pretty consistent in
its appearance. Many civilizations lived in tents for thousands of years before
building permanent structures such as huts.
TheMilitary Tent
Pharaoh, going to battle, would set tents up along the way. The Romans were
notorious for innovative designs for traveling from one city to another. They used
larger tents like ridge tents and marquee tents where soldiers and their military
leaders could meet to discuss battle plans or just socialize. They used calf skins
for the tent covers and were described by Pliny, the Elder as “sub pellibus”,
meaning “under pelts.”
TheCamping Tent’sHistory-WhatCamping Tent

5. The Camping Tent’s History - What Camping
Tent
TentsAndMASH Units
Tents were the most convenient way for hospital units to move from one area of a
war zone to another and provide medical treatment for soldiers. Mash stands for
Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, which was Army medical units serving as fully
functional hospitals in combat areas. These units were rst developed in August
of 1945 and were rst deployed during the Korean War. Tents allowed for these
groups to set up shop and pull up stakes, quickly, to move to another area at the
drop of a hat. These units became immortalized in the 1970 American Movie
M*A*S*H, directed by Robert Altman and the television series that ran from 1972
to 1983.
Barnum &Bailey
Circuses have been using tents to travel from town to town forever!Barnum &
Bailey simply took this concept to a whole new level with enormous tents for
large shows. This began in the 19th century developing colossal tents to protect
performers and audiences from various elements. Even though these tents
ranged in size, the basic structure remained the same. These tents consisted of
guy ropes to stakes that allowed for setting up tents that would hold up to strong
winds, but could also be taken down quickly. The term Guy Rope is a British term
for ropes that secure a tent or other structure to the ground. This construction
would eventually lead to the future recreational and festival tents of today, with
some changes.
TheCamping Tent’sHistory-WhatCamping Tent

6. The Camping Tent’s History - What Camping
Tent
TheModernTentForRecreationalPurposes
During the rst half of the 20th century, Americans had more money and time to
explore the great outdoors. During the Industrial Revolution, these tents were
referred to “survival tents” for an ever so popular national pastime. The two
leading manufacturers were Coleman and MSR, offering tents for the everyday
person or family.
During this time, tent design took on some drastic changes. Support poles were
no longer made from wood; instead, they were a light metal element. Eventually,
manufacturers went from metal to plastic for easier transportation. These
lightweight poles became enormously popular with campers. Some of the more
modern tents can be set up in a matter of seconds and offer materials like nylon
that are better protection against environmental elements.
TheCamping Tent’sHistory-WhatCamping Tent

7. The Camping Tent’s History - What Camping
Tent
Camping absolutely exploded in the 1960s with millions of people heading out to
campsites and other rural areas for a weekend. Manufacturers jumped on the
challenge to create poles made from berglass or aluminum alloys. These
materials allowed for greater ranges of shapes and a much lighter transportation.
At one point, zippered tent doors were to replace the traditional flap opening.
Over the years, manufacturers have sought to find more convenient, more ease of
setting up and better design for the avid campers whose numbers are continually
on the increase. Tent designs have constantly adjusted over the past decade
creating signi cant changes to the original survival tent. More on modern tent
designs!
Some of these designs have included
Tunnel Tents:
As the name implies, these tents are literally shaped like tunnels. It allows for
better interior space than the standard pole tent and are extremely popular.
Inflatable Tents:
These amazing tents offer in atable beams and are easy to transport because
they are extremely lightweight.
Note: it is strongly recommended that you have an air compressor on hand when
camping.
Geodesic Tents:
This design has a crisscross beam design, making them extremely sturdy and
exceptional for use in snow, sleet and even hail.
Pop-Up Tents:
TheCamping Tent’sHistory-WhatCamping Tent

8. The Camping Tent’s History - What Camping
Tent
For those campers who do not want to spend time driving stakes into the ground,
these tents have a series of hoops that will set up almost instantly.
Ridge Tent:
Two exible poles crossing in the center giving a square dome and three poles a
hexagon. The sides are more vertical allowing for greater headroom and more
floor space.
Marquee Tent:
Are very large tent used, today, for shelter at events such as shows or festivals.
The design has not altered in thousands of years. The roof canopy is supported
by very tall center poles with side lines connected to ground pins.
Learn more on how to chose your tent here!
The Camping Experience
Occupy protesters in London –Credits The Guardian
TheCamping Tent’sHistory-WhatCamping Tent

9. The Camping Tent’s History - What Camping
Tent
Camping and the design of tents have come a very long way from the time of the
Pharaohs and the Romans. What has been used for dwelling, protection and
being removed from nature’s elements, has also brought people back to enjoy
nature. Modern tents allow campers to enjoy their surroundings, connect with
nature and feel safe and warm in the cold, crisp night air. Building a camp re, at
night, is an amazing experience while allowing family members to reconnect with
each other and does not require cell phones and social media.
Tents were also used in the 60s for peaceful demonstrations against social
inequality by setting up tents, having cooking abilities and creating peaceful
barriers. They are also often used during protests (example of the Occupy
Movement, against social and economic inequality around the world that always
set up tents, kitchens, peaceful barricades when protesting.) where protesters
often use camping tents to build camps in public places where they can form
communities of protesters of open discussion and start democratic action. Tents
are often used when massive events happen like a release of a new Apple product
where people often camps for days in front of the stores!
Tents have been in the lives of people for thousands of years and will be here for
thousands more to come.
Tents provide wonderful fundamentally basic needs and safety for all your
camping needs. You will experience some of the same feelings that your
ancestors experienced when tents were their homes. If you have never
experienced the soft sounds of the evening hours while drifting off to sleep, the
gentle sound of light rain, tapping on the tent top, to cradle you off to sleep or the
glorious awakening of a perfect sunrise –you have no idea what you are missing!
TheCamping Tent’sHistory-WhatCamping Tent

10. The Camping Tent’s History - What Camping
Tent
Get with family and friends, nd a beautiful campground and spend a weekend in
total relaxation while soaking in what nature is all about. You will come away
being one of the millions of people that have discovered a whole new, exciting
way to explore the great outdoors while capturing life-long memories.
The Time-line Of The Tent
The rst true ancestor of today’s tent was constructed in 1855. A U.S. Army
of cer modeled his Bell-Shaped Tent after the Native American’s Teepee.
Instead of using buffalo hides, he chose to use canvas.
The rst Boy Scout Handbook was published in 1911 and illustrated ten
different styles or types of tents.
TheCamping Tent’sHistory-WhatCamping Tent

11. The Camping Tent’s History - What Camping
Tent
The rst true ancestor of today’s tent was constructed in 1855. A U.S. Army
of cer modeled his Bell-Shaped Tent after the Native American’s Teepee.
Instead of using buffalo hides, he chose to use canvas.
The rst Boy Scout Handbook was published in 1911 and illustrated ten
different styles or types of tents.
World War II had ended, it’s 1945 and with the huge economic boom taking
place across America, people were running off to retailers and surplus stores
to purchase tents for great outdoor adventures. There were thousands of
tents being purchased of all shapes, sizes and designs every week.
Tentmaker Eureka introduced the rst Fast-Set-Up Free Standing Tent on to
the market, in 1959.
Metal, lightweight poles were being mass produced, replacing wooden
frames. Allowing for easier setup and much lighter for moving around, this
took place in the 1960s.
Tentmaker Eureka comes out with another design for backpack storage, in
the 1970s, selling over one million units in less than ten years.
The rst truck-tent was developed in 1990 allowing campers to pitch this
tent on the bed of their pickup truck.
Even though technology and custom designing brought about the RV, for
comfort away from home, 3.2 million American opted for camping with tents
instead. This spike in popularity hit an all-time high in 2011 and shows no
signs of slowing down.
The timeline of tents is far from over. More and more people are discovering the
simple, relaxing beauty of purchasing a tent and entering the outside world with
gusto. There’s a reason why, since the 1960s, millions of people have become
addicted to camping.
Instead of fighting it, learn all you can about camping, the dos and don’ts and have
the best time of your life!
You will not be disappointed and will more than likely become addicted yourself!
TheCamping Tent’sHistory-WhatCamping Tent