The pagan roots of Halloween date back to medieval England when it was first called All Hallows� Eve. Many of the traditions of modern America�s Halloween are derived from Celtic customs associated with Samhain, the beginning of winter and the Celtic new year. This day marked the end of harvest and the beginning of the long, difficult winter, which often brought human death, sickness, and suffering along with the frigid weather.

It was believed that evil spirits and ghosts of the dead roamed the earth on this evening. On this night, druids and Celtic priests would make predictions for how severe the winter would be. Bonfires were used to sacrifice animals to the spirits and sweets were placed outside of front doors as peace offerings for the demonic predators.

Other traditions developed during medieval times involved beggars and children going from house to house asking for �soul cakes.� This is said to have been done in exchange for prayers for the householder�s deceased ancestors. It later evolved into teenagers and young adults knocking on doors asking for alcohol and food. If the household was proclaimed �stingy� by the troublemakers, they would come back later to play tricks on the homeowner. Today�s trick or treating comes directly from this medieval practice.

Dressing up in costumes came from the medieval belief that one should not leave their residence on this night for fear of it being ransacked or inhabited by the spirits. In an effort to confuse the spirits, the townspeople dressed up in costumes or wore masks. They hoped that by doing this they would not be recognized and their home would be safe.

Medieval and Renaissance history and traditions can be found by using the following resources:

• The History Channel: Ancient Origins of Halloween

• About.com: Medieval History Information

• The Internet Medieval Sourcebook: A large, educational site

• The Renaissance: The forces that drove this rebirth in Europe and Italy

• The Labyrinth: Resources for Medieval Study

• Humanism: History of the Renaissance

• Medieval Portal: Resources for students, teachers, and researchers

• Renaissance Costumes: A variety of costumes on the renaissance theme

• The Online Medieval and Classical Library: A collection of important literary works of classical and medieval civilization

• NetSerf: The Internet connection for medieval resources

• The Medieval and Renaissance Center: An educational website

At first, Halloween was not very popular in the United States, as it was considered to be a Pagan holiday. Most of the early settlers were Protestant and had no ties to these traditions. By the mid 1800�s immigration was on the rise and those from Ireland and Europe brought many of the medieval traditions with them. By this time they were greatly watered down and had turned into a celebration instead of a pagan holiday steeped in fear. By the 20^th century, Halloween had seeped into the practices of most Americans and became the widely accepted secular holiday that it still is today.