The European lifestyle often included festivals and rituals of sorts. One of the most prominent was called Carnival, which began as early as January and continued until Lent. Several other festivals were celebrated throughout the year, and some communal rituals could be practiced at any time. Rituals and festivals had several purposes in traditional European life. Festivals and rituals served to unite communities for a common cause, allowed people to act frivolously and vent the emotions of everyday life, and placed people of different social classes and genders on equal grounds.

Festivals and rituals frequently brought together communities for a common purpose. One such festival occurred where the sons of people in the village would parade through the streets imitating their parents; citizens gathered together at the local buildings to view themselves as performed by their children (1). Oftentimes, European inhabitants would gather to punish or mock someone who...