Course outline
Module 1
Module 1: Origins: Early Gestures of Palm Meeting Palm
Origins: Early Gestures of Palm Meeting Palm
Knowledge check
Q1. Which popular account credits the high five's origin to a specific 1977 moment in professional sports?
- A. A baseball player's home run celebration in Los Angeles
- B. A basketball team's celebration involving Glenn Burke, a Los Angeles Dodgers player ✓
- C. A football coach's sideline greeting in Dallas
- D. A hockey team's locker-room ritual in Montreal
Why: The widely cited origin story involves Glenn Burke of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who reportedly slapped palms with teammate Dusty Baker on the last day of the 1977 season after Baker hit a home run. Burke's own account of the moment is the most commonly referenced source, though some details are debated.
Q2. What is the basic physical action of a high five?
- A. Two people clasp hands in a firm handshake
- B. Two people raise their palms overhead and slap them together ✓
- C. Two people tap fists together at waist level
- D. Two people bump their forearms together
Why: A high five is performed by raising one or both hands above head height and slapping palms together. The name reflects the raised position of the hands, distinguishing it from lower gestures.
Q3. Which earlier gesture is often considered a precursor to the high five?
- A. The bow
- B. The fist bump ✓
- C. The salute
- D. The wave
Why: The fist bump is widely regarded as a close relative and a precursor in the broader family of informal touch greetings. Both emerged as expressive, casual ways to acknowledge a success or a fellow participant, with the high five adding a more open, celebratory palm-to-palm contact.
Q4. In what decade did the high five become widely popular in American culture?
- A. 1950s
- B. 1960s
- C. 1970s ✓
- D. 1980s
Why: The high five spread rapidly through American sports and popular culture in the 1970s, particularly after the 1977 Dodgers moment became associated with it. Its visibility in televised sports helped it move into everyday use during that decade.
Q5. Why is it difficult to pinpoint the exact first instance of a palm-to-palm greeting?
- A. Such gestures were never recorded in any culture
- B. Informal gestures spread spontaneously and were rarely documented at their origin ✓
- C. Governments banned the gesture before records were kept
- D. The gesture only existed in private family settings
Why: Informal gestures typically arise in everyday interactions and spread through imitation rather than formal documentation. As a result, historians rely on anecdotes, recollections, and later accounts, which makes a precise origin point hard to verify.
Module 2
Module 2: The Dodgers Moment: 1977 and the Birth of a Legend
The Dodgers Moment: 1977 and the Birth of a Legend
Knowledge check
Q1. In which year is the high five widely said to have originated during a Los Angeles Dodgers game?
- A. 1969
- B. 1977 ✓
- C. 1985
- D. 1992
Why: The high five is traditionally credited to a moment on October 2, 1977, when Dodgers outfielder Glenn Burke raised his hand to teammate Dusty Baker after Baker hit a home run during a game at Dodger Stadium.
Q2. Which Dodgers player is credited with the first high five alongside Dusty Baker?
- A. Steve Garvey
- B. Don Sutton
- C. Glenn Burke ✓
- D. Tommy Lasorda
Why: Glenn Burke, an outfielder for the Dodgers, is the player most often credited with initiating the high five when he slapped hands with Dusty Baker after Baker's home run.
Q3. Who was the teammate who received the first high five in the 1977 Dodgers moment?
- A. Reggie Smith
- B. Dusty Baker ✓
- C. Davey Lopes
- D. Ron Cey
Why: Dusty Baker was the player who hit the home run that prompted Glenn Burke to raise his hand, and Baker responded with the slap that became the first recorded high five.
Q4. At which stadium did the famous 1977 high five take place?
- A. Wrigley Field
- B. Yankee Stadium
- C. Dodger Stadium ✓
- D. Fenway Park
Why: The moment occurred at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the home ballpark of the Dodgers, during a game in early October 1977.
Q5. Why is the high five considered a notable cultural moment in sports history?
- A. It was banned by Major League Baseball shortly after
- B. It became a widely adopted gesture of celebration across sports and everyday life ✓
- C. It was the first handshake recorded on film
- D. It led to the creation of the designated hitter rule
Why: The gesture spread rapidly from baseball into other sports and popular culture, becoming a universal sign of celebration and camaraderie.
Module 3
Module 3: Sports, Stadiums, and the Spread of the Slap
Sports, Stadiums, and the Spread of the Slap
Knowledge check
Q1. In which sport is the high five most often credited with first gaining widespread popularity in the United States?
- A. Tennis
- B. Baseball ✓
- C. Golf
- D. Swimming
Why: Baseball is commonly associated with the spread of the high five in the 1970s, when players used slaps of the hand as celebrations on the field and in the dugout.
Q2. Which 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers player is widely credited with popularizing the high five during a game?
- A. Dusty Baker ✓
- B. Babe Ruth
- C. Hank Aaron
- D. Jackie Robinson
Why: Dusty Baker is widely credited with giving Glenn Burke a high five during a 1977 game at Dodger Stadium, a moment often cited as the origin of the gesture's popularity.
Q3. What is the general name for the celebratory gesture in which two people slap their raised palms together?
- A. A fist bump
- B. A handshake
- C. A high five ✓
- D. A salute
Why: The gesture in which two people slap raised palms together is called a high five; a fist bump is a different gesture made with closed fists.
Q4. Why did the high five spread quickly among fans and players in stadiums during the late 1970s and 1980s?
- A. It was required by sports league rules
- B. It was an easy, visible way to share excitement and celebrate with others ✓
- C. Televised broadcasts banned all other forms of celebration
- D. Stadium owners paid players to perform it
Why: The high five is a quick, visible, and expressive gesture that let players and fans share excitement, which helped it spread through stadiums and beyond.
Q5. Which sport later became known for its own distinctive celebratory slap, often seen as part of team culture, similar to baseball's high five?
- A. Basketball ✓
- B. Chess
- C. Archery
- D. Fencing
Why: Basketball players widely adopted high fives and related slaps as part of on-court celebrations and team bonding, reinforcing the gesture's spread across sports.
Module 4
Module 4: Cultural Variations Across the Globe
Cultural Variations Across the Globe
Knowledge check
Q1. According to most accounts, where and when did the high five first gain widespread popularity?
- A. Ancient Greece, as a ceremonial greeting
- B. The United States in the late 1970s, popularized in sports ✓
- C. Japan in the 1920s, as a formal bow replacement
- D. Brazil in the 1950s, through football matches
Why: The high five is generally traced to the United States in the late 1970s, with the most cited story involving Los Angeles Dodgers player Glenn Burke slapping hands with teammate Dusty Baker in 1977. It spread quickly through American sports culture.
Q2. Which sport is most often credited as the first major setting where the high five became a recognizable gesture?
- A. Tennis
- B. Baseball ✓
- C. Swimming
- D. Cricket
Why: Baseball is the sport most associated with the early high five, particularly through the Los Angeles Dodgers in the late 1970s. The gesture then spread to basketball, football, and other sports.
Q3. In which cultural tradition is a gesture similar to the high five used as a form of greeting or agreement, predating its American popularity?
- A. Several African and Latin American communities use palm-slapping gestures in social and celebratory contexts ✓
- B. Scandinavian countries use it in formal ceremonies
- C. Russia uses it exclusively in military salutes
- D. Canada uses it only in hockey celebrations
Why: Palm-slapping and hand-clasping gestures appear in many cultures, including various African and Latin American communities, where they signal camaraderie, agreement, or celebration. These forms predate and differ from the American high five.
Q4. In many cultures, what is a common social consideration when giving a high five?
- A. It should always be done with the left hand
- B. Its appropriateness depends on the relationship, age, and setting ✓
- C. It must be performed only between people of the same gender
- D. It is considered rude in all cultures outside the United States
Why: Physical greetings like high fives are culturally context-dependent. Appropriateness can vary based on relationship closeness, age differences, workplace norms, and social setting, so people often read the situation before initiating one.
Q5. Which term describes the variation of the high five where the hand is held low, at waist level, instead of raised overhead?
- A. The low five ✓
- B. The hip slap
- C. The palm press
- D. The down low
Why: The low five, sometimes called the low ten or low hand slap, is a variation performed at waist level. It is a common variant that developed alongside the standard high five and appears in many informal settings.
Module 5
Module 5: From Handshake to Hand Slap: Social Evolution
From Handshake to Hand Slap: Social Evolution
Knowledge check
Q1. Which sport is most commonly credited as the birthplace of the high five?
- A. Basketball
- B. Baseball ✓
- C. Tennis
- D. Football
Why: The high five is widely credited to baseball, where Los Angeles Dodgers players Glenn Burke and Dusty Baker reportedly slapped hands in 1977 after Baker hit a home run.
Q2. In what year is the first widely cited high five believed to have occurred?
- A. 1959
- B. 1967
- C. 1977 ✓
- D. 1987
Why: The commonly cited first high five took place in 1977 during a Dodgers game, when Dusty Baker and Glenn Burke slapped hands after Baker's home run.
Q3. Which player is famously credited with starting the high five alongside Dusty Baker?
- A. Hank Aaron
- B. Glenn Burke ✓
- C. Tommy Lasorda
- D. Steve Garvey
Why: Glenn Burke, a Dodgers outfielder, is credited with the first high five alongside teammate Dusty Baker in 1977.
Q4. Before the high five became popular, what was a common gesture of celebration between teammates?
- A. A bow
- B. The handshake ✓
- C. A salute
- D. A group hug only
Why: The handshake was a traditional gesture of greeting and celebration, and the high five evolved as a more energetic alternative to it.
Q5. Which term describes a related gesture where two people slap palms downward, often at waist level?
- A. Low five ✓
- B. Hand slap
- C. Palm press
- D. Ground tap
Why: A low five is a variation of the high five performed at waist or knee level, showing how the gesture adapted over time.
Module 6
Module 6: Media, Memes, and the Digital High Five
Media, Memes, and the Digital High Five
Knowledge check
Q1. According to most historical accounts, where and when did the high five first appear as a widely recognized gesture?
- A. Ancient Rome, as a greeting between soldiers
- B. Los Angeles Dodgers baseball players in 1977 ✓
- C. The Olympic Games of 1936 in Berlin
- D. Hollywood films of the 1920s
Why: The high five is commonly credited to Glenn Burke and Dusty Baker of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who slapped hands in 1977 during a game, a moment widely cited as the gesture's origin.
Q2. What is the name of the Dodgers outfielder who is often credited with inventing the high five?
- A. Tommy Lasorda
- B. Sandy Koufax
- C. Glenn Burke ✓
- D. Steve Garvey
Why: Glenn Burke, a Dodgers outfielder, is most often credited with the high five, which he shared with teammate Dusty Baker in 1977.
Q3. Which of the following best describes what a high five involves?
- A. Two people bumping chests together
- B. Two people slapping raised palms together in celebration ✓
- C. Two people clasping both hands at the wrist
- D. Two people touching foreheads
Why: A high five is a celebratory gesture in which two people slap their raised open palms together, usually at head height.
Q4. Why did the high five spread quickly to other sports and popular culture in the years after 1977?
- A. It was mandated by a national sports league
- B. Television broadcasts and athletes imitating it made it visible to large audiences ✓
- C. It was included in a major international treaty
- D. Scientists proved it reduced stress levels
Why: Televised games and athletes adopting the gesture exposed it to mass audiences, helping it spread across sports and into everyday life.
Q5. In digital media, what is a common way the high five appears in memes and online culture?
- A. As a social media platform's official logo
- B. As emoji and GIFs representing celebration, agreement, or teamwork ✓
- C. As a required login verification step
- D. As a copyright symbol on websites
Why: High five emoji ( and ️ variants) and animated GIFs are widely used online to express celebration, agreement, or camaraderie.
Module 7
Module 7: The Enduring Meaning of Celebration
The Enduring Meaning of Celebration
Knowledge check
Q1. What is widely cited as the first documented high five between two people?
- A. A handshake between two baseball players in 1977
- B. A slap between Glenn Burke and Dusty Baker on the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977 ✓
- C. A celebration between two soccer players at the 1970 World Cup
- D. A greeting between two basketball coaches in the 1960s
Why: The high five is commonly credited to Glenn Burke and Dusty Baker, who slapped hands during a Los Angeles Dodgers game on October 2, 1977, after Baker hit a home run.
Q2. Which Major League Baseball player is often credited with helping popularize the high five in the late 1970s?
- A. Hank Aaron ✓
- B. Babe Ruth
- C. Willie Mays
- D. Joe DiMaggio
Why: Hank Aaron was among the players who adopted and spread the high five gesture in the late 1970s, helping it move from a team habit into wider sports culture.
Q3. What was the name of the sports team where the high five first became a notable celebration?
- A. New York Yankees
- B. Boston Red Sox
- C. Los Angeles Dodgers ✓
- D. Chicago Cubs
Why: The high five's origin is linked to the Los Angeles Dodgers, where Glenn Burke and Dusty Baker first slapped hands in 1977.
Q4. Why do many historians of the high five say it spread so quickly after the 1977 moment?
- A. It was required by a new sports league rule
- B. Television broadcasts of athletes celebrating exposed the gesture to millions of viewers ✓
- C. It was introduced by a famous movie star
- D. Schools adopted it as an official classroom greeting
Why: Televised sports broadcasts showed athletes performing the gesture to large audiences, which helped it spread quickly into everyday celebrations and popular culture.
Q5. What does the high five generally symbolize in its enduring cultural meaning?
- A. A formal business agreement
- B. A sign of shared success, mutual recognition, and celebration ✓
- C. A request for silence or privacy
- D. An apology between rivals
Why: The high five has come to represent shared accomplishment, camaraderie, and mutual celebration, which is why it remains a lasting symbol of joy and recognition.