Final answer:
James Naismith invented basketball in 1891 while he was a physical education teacher in Springfield, Massachusetts. The sport was created to offer a safer and more suitable indoor activity during winter. It quickly became a popular pastime in the United States and has a significant place in American sports culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1891, James Naismith, a physical education teacher at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, invented the sport of basketball. The creation of this sport was influenced by the need for an indoor game that could be played during the cold winter months. Naismith hung up peach baskets as the goals and used a soccer ball for the gameplay, establishing a set of thirteen basic rules for the new sport. This innovation has since evolved into one of the most popular sports in the United States and globally.
With a focus on reducing injuries compared to other sports of the time, basketball was considered a safer and more suitable indoor activity. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the United States saw a rise in the popularity of various sports, with college football and baseball being particular favorites. Nonetheless, basketball's unique characteristics and adaptability to indoor play helped cement its place in American sports culture.