During the religious crusades, Christian soldiers would tattoo a cross on their chest to indicate their religious preference. This action was of grave importance to the soldiers because if they died at battle and were found with a cross tattooed on their chest, they were given a proper Christian burial.
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Ancient Greeks adopted the practice of tattooing their slaves in order to reduce the temptation for them to escape. By tattooing their slaves it was easy to distinguish between social classes and find a runaway slave. This practice is believed to be inherited from the Persians. Constantine later banned the practice of tattooing the face of criminals and slaves.
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Tattoos became noticeably popular in the United States during the civil war of patriotic symbols or the name of a lover. When Samuel O'Riley invented the first patented electric tattoo machines, it was primarily used for circus performers.Tattoos became more popular as servicemen who returned from war, mimicked tattoos of the indigenous tribes of Asia and Africa. The cultural movements of the 60's and 70's used tattoos as a form of personal expression and as a result tattoos are spread and widely accepted in America today.
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