How did the system of applauding form?

Question

How did the system of applauding form?

Answer 1

Clapping was actually invented in Canada, When the Tribal Hunters would come home with there food they had a ritual where the would all clap at once to gather the attention of the gods so that they could ask for sacrifice of the animal as a source of nutrition.

Answer 2

It probably started tens of thousands of years ago when humans all lived as tribal hunter-gatherers.

For entertainment, as primitive tribal hunter-gathering societies do today, they would sing and dance, clapping their hands to keep time.  At the end of the song and dance, if they had enjoyed it, they would continue clapping, not in time, but in simple pleasure, as children do everywhere today.

Hence applause - a simple expression of pleasure.