where did the military hand salute originate?

Answer 1

Originally the hand salute was not a salute but when knights happened to cross paths they would raise the visor of their helmets in order to be identified. This developed into the hand salute. Also the sword salute is a derivative of the ancient knights in which the knight would kiss the crossmember of the sword before going into battle.

Answer 2

History Of The Military Salute

Answer 3

The version that I heard is that the military salute is introduced by Sir Francis Drake ( 1540 - 1596 )
After that he sailed around the world with his ship " the gold hind " he was knighted by queen Elizabeth I .
On this occasion he had told his men that they had to put there right hand before there eyes on the moment that the queen came aboard of the ship otherwise they would be blinded by the beauty of the queen.
So said, so done.
The queen was amazed by the action of the crew and she asked at Drake what the meaning of the movement was.
After the explication of Drake the queen was so enjoyed by it that she introduced the salute in the navy which became the military salute.

Answer 4

From http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/history/vignettes/respect1.html

No one knows the precise origin of today’s hand salute. From earliest times and in many distant armies throughout history, the right hand (or "weapon hand") has been raised as a greeting of friendship. The idea may have been to show that you weren't ready to use a rock or other weapon. Courtesy required that the inferior make the gesture first. Certainly there is some connection between this old gesture and our present salute.

One romantic legend has it that today’s military salute descended from the medieval knight's gesture of raising his visor to reveal his identity as a courtesy on the approach of a superior. Another even more fantastic version is that it symbolizes a knight's shielding his eyes from the dazzling beauty of some high-born lady sitting in the bleachers of the tournament.

The military salute has in fact had many different forms over the centuries. At one time it was rendered with both hands! In old prints one may see left-handed salutes. In some instances the salute was rendered by lowering the saber with one hand and touching the cap visor with the other.

The following explanation of the origin of the hand salute is perhaps closest to the truth: It was a long-established military custom for juniors to remove their headgear in the presence of superiors. In the British Army as late as the American Revolution a soldier saluted bv removing his hat. But with the advent of more cumbersome headgear in the 18th and 19th centuries, the act of removing one’s hat was gradually converted into the simpler gesture of grasping the visor, and issuing a courteous salutation. From there it finally became conventionalized into something resembling our modern hand salute.

As early as 1745 (more than two-and-a-half centuries ago) a British order book states that: "The men are ordered not to pull off their hats when they pass an officer, or to speak to them, but only to clap up their hands to their hats and bow as they pass."

Whatever the actual origin of today’s hand salute, clearly in the tradition of the US Army it has always been used to indicate a sign of RESPECT – further recognition that in the profession of arms military courtesy is both a right and a responsibility of every soldier.

Answer 5

The origin of the salute is not certain but believed to be dated way back in Roman times when assasinations were common. But most historians believe that the the U.S military salute was influenced by the British Navy.

Answer 6

When rival knights in armor came across each other on the battlefield. they used to raise the visor on there helmets to see each others eyes as a sign of respect . this gesturing of the hand on the helmet resembeled the modern salute today. thats where it originated

Answer 7

Cederoo& Jerry said it all

Answer 8

in american sign language it means hi or hello?!?!

VERY good question - hope you get some good answers - oh wait -- let's say real answers ; )