Before the 20th century, most cultures practiced a form of animal sacrifice at various times. Many of these cultures performed animal (and sometimes human) sacrifice by ceremonial slaughter and burning on altars. Reasons for sacrifice may include gifts to gain favor or influence, appeasement in order to calm anger, or to provide necessary food for strength and survival of the gods. But primarily, sacrifice was a way of substitution to pay for society’s or one’s own faults and sins.