Tracing the development of tap dancing from ancient India to the Broadway stage in 1903, when the word Tap was first used in publicity to describe this new American style of dance, this text separately addresses the cultural, societal and historical events that influenced the development of Tap dancing. Section One covers primary influences such as Irish step dancing, English clog dancing and African dancing. Section Two covers theatrical influences (early theatrical developments, Daddy Rice, the Virginia Minstrels) and Section Three covers various other influences (Native American, German, Shaker). Also included are accounts of the people present at tap's inception and how various styles of dance were mixed to create a new art form.