snowmen were a phenomenon in the Middle Ages, built with great skill and thought. At a time of limited means of expression, snow was like free art supplies dropped from the sky. It was a popular activity for couples to stroll through town to view the temporary works of chilly art. Some were created by famous artists, including a 19-year-old Michelangelo, who in 1494 was commissioned by the ruler of Florence, Italy, to sculpt a snowman in his mansion’s courtyard.
So the snowman was essentially a form of sculpting that people could do for free. The article, however, does not seem to have made clear what the first snowman was because nobody knows. It seems that they are simply a form of expression that everyone could take part in easily. They saw their chance to express themselves for free in an era where it was hard to do so, and took it, making snowmen. The traditions continued on years later, all the way to the present day.