World History Final Superstitions

Crossing your fingers

= To prevent bad luck. The people of the Mid Ages believed that if you told a lie that the devil's eyes would immediately be focused on you. To prevent him from causing you any trouble at that moment they did this to represent "The Cross" to scare away the devil.

Breaking a Mirror

=7 years bad luck, Since ancient Africa people had believed that when you saw your reflection in one of these you were seeing your soul! In the Mid Ages, people believed if you broke one of these you were also breaking your soul! Even worse it took 7 years to grow a new soul! This was terribly bad luck since without a soul they believed you could not go to heaven if you die!

Black Cats

=Bad Luck; In the Middle Ages these were considered bad luck because they were asociated with the pagan gods of the old Roman Empire. The Catholic Christians of the Middle Ages believed that these old gods were demons, so these must be evil too! Later the color of these came to represent evil/darkness. These were really bad luck!!

Saying "God Bless You" after someone sneezed

=Good Luck, In the Mid Ages people believed that when you did this your soul temporarily was blown out of your body. To prevent you from being possessed at that moment, people would say this to scare away evil spirits!

Horseshoes

=Good Luck, In the Mid Ages these became good luck for 2 reasons: 1. they were made of iron which was believed to ward off evil. 2. They were made by Blacksmiths who were good luck themselves since they helped make towns prosper!

Carrying a Rabbit's Foot

=Good Luck. In the Mid Ages it was believed that everything that was below the ground or lived in holes or caves belonged to the devil! They believed that if you carried one of these it would bring you good luck because when the devil went to cause trouble he would leave you alone since having this on you meant you already belonged to him! The devil had been tricked!

Friday 13th

=The people of the Mid Ages believed that this day was bad luck because all the errible disasters like the Flood, or the death of Christ, occured on this day! Thie number is considered bad luck because the night before the betrayal of Christ, he had a dinner with himself and 12 guest. Add this day and number togerher, and thy thought something terrible was going to happen.

Knocking on Wood

=To prevent Bad luck,In the Mid Ages the Catholic Church had the power to grant anyone who asked sanctuary. In most places the custom allowed that the law could not touch you once you had done this on the wooden church door!