Why do we use capital letters? When did this practice start?

Question

any information on the use of capital letters will be greatly appreciated

Answer 1

What we now call "capital letters" are the ORIGINAL letter forms. It was "minuscules" or "lower case" letters that were the innovation.

Lower case letters were invented in the Middle Ages as a means to ease some of the difficulties of manuscript writing. They became popular because:
1) they were quicker to write!
2) they took less space (saving resources like ink & costly parchment)
3) they were easier to READ. (The lower case letters are more distinct that the 'blocky' upper case letters.)
http://www.bellevuelinux.org/lower_case.html

As for the origins of minuscules/lower case:
It can be traced back to Roman cursive forms, which devloped a set of "half-uncials" (the capital forms were "uncials")

"It was first used around the 3rd century and remained in use until the end of the 8th century. The early forms of half-uncial were used for pagan authors and Roman legal writing"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-uncial#Half-uncial_or_semi-uncial

These later gave rise to "Carolingian minuscule" forms --the first true "lower case" letters. This script

"developed as a writing standard in Europe so that the Roman alphabet could be easily recognized by the small literate class from one region to another. It was used in Charlemagne's empire between approximately 800 and 1200."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolingian_minuscule
http://medievalwriting.50megs.com/scripts/history5.htm

These minuscules were actually the invention of an Englishman --the late eighth century scholar & monk, Alcuin (from York, England), who was brought to Charlemagne's court.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcuin

compare: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minuscule

Answer 2

Capital letters came first. Lower-case letters were introduced during the Carolingian Renaissance in the 9th century.

Answer 3

BECAUSE CAPITAL LETTERS MAKE THE WORLD GO AROUND AND DOESNT IT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE I AM YELLING

Answer 4

No it makes you sound like an a$$

Answer 5

WE DO?!

Answer 6

IDK but you look like Howard Sern though!!