The year 1900 was indeed an early moment in Olympic history—it marked the second edition of the modern Olympic Games, held in Paris, France. Unlike the structured games we know today, the 1900 Olympics were part of the World’s Fair and were poorly organized and sparsely attended. Events were often unclear and mixed in with other exhibitions, and many competitors didn't even realize they were participating in an Olympic event. While this was a key stepping stone in the early history of the Games, it was not the first. The inaugural modern Olympic Games took place in 1896 in Athens, Greece, laying the true foundation for the Olympic movement.