Roller skates were first invented in Europe in the 1760's. Joseph Merlin, a Belgian, invented a skate that "skittered" across the floor on small wooden wheels. The hobby didn't take off at all, and Merlin emigrated to England.
Roller skates appeared on the ballet stage in 1818 in Berlin, and were also seen on the streets of Paris.
Roller skating finally made its way to North America in the late 1830's, with European manufacturers still dominating skate designs for several years.
Early Inventions: Not unlike the European way, early American roller skates were usually copied from various models of ice skates, featuring anywhere from 2-6 wheels, attached to a wooden "plate", and arranged in an in-line fashion to imitate ice "blades". This type of skate actually steered better than its 4-wheel conventional design counterpart, with 2 wheels in front and 2 in back.
"Woodward" skate in 1852, and metal and fibre wheels also emerged; however, wooden wheels remained popular until about 1910. Today's wheels come in several sizes, and are made from various synthetic compounds, depending on the degree of hardness desired. Harder wheels tend to run faster than softer ones, while soft wheels tend to grip the floor better
The progression from recreational skating to competition is closely linked to the development of skate technology, and to the formation of organized indoor facilities.
World Championship competitions soon developed in all roller skating disciplines, as more and more countries created organized skating federations -- Roller Sports Canada was incorporated in 1973 to govern roller sports in Canada. Roller Skating was a demonstration sport at the 1979 Pan American Games in Puerto Rico, and has been on every Games program since the 1987 Games in Indianapolis.
