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Sorry this article wasn't helpful for you Ashton. HowStuffWorks has an article on "How Mardi Gras Works" that might be easier to understand because it's broken up into smaller sections.

-- Contributed by: Lorie Witkop

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Could you make this more simple? I'm a sixth grader working on an assignment, please answer back. Thank you.

-- Contributed by: Ashton

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Well, Nanette, I can't seem to find any information on what the beads symbolize. The practice of throwing trinkets to parade watchers began in the late 1800s, and beads were just one more fun, shiny thing to throw.

In New Orleans, masks were first used by the krewes, the organizations participating in the parades and holding balls, as a way of keeping their identities a secret. They wanted the krewes to be secret societies. Some also say that the idea of the mask dates back to when the Romans first converted to Christianity. During Mardi Gras, the new Christians were allowed to revert to their pagan ways, but they wore masks to hide their faces while participating in these excesses. A bit of that idea still remains today for people who embrace the idea of Mardi Gras as a wild celebration before the solemnity of Lent - they don't necessarily want everyone to recognize them as they celebrate to extremes.

-- Contributed by: Lorie Witkop

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what do the masks and beads symbolize though? and why? thanx

-- Contributed by: nanette
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