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The Dawn of Mass Culture

The Dawn of Mass Culture. Mr. White’s US History 1. Big Questions. As you complete these notes, think about the following questions: Compare and contrast the way that Americans spent their leisure time in the early 1900s with how they spend it today. Are they more alike, or different?

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The Dawn of Mass Culture

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  1. The Dawn of Mass Culture Mr. White’s US History 1

  2. Big Questions • As you complete these notes, think about the following questions: • Compare and contrast the way that Americans spent their leisure time in the early 1900s with how they spend it today. Are they more alike, or different? • Compare and contrast mass culture of the early 1900s with today. • Compare and contrast shopping and advertising in the early 1900s with today.

  3. American Leisure • Leisure time was primarily a middle- or upper-class activity – why? • Over the early 1900s, Americans would enjoy more and more leisure activities • Amusement parks • Bicycling and tennis • Spectator sports • Baseball

  4. Amusement Parks • Parks were built that had picnic areas and rides to go on • Coney Island in New York opened in 1884 • First Ferris wheel opened in Chicago in 1893

  5. Bicycling and Tennis • Previously male-only – tires were all rubber, kind of dangerous • After invention of safer bicycles, women begin to cycle – meant freedom for many of them • Tennis – not as big now, but people then enjoyed it

  6. Snacks • Coca-Cola – originates in 1886, hitting mainstream by 1900s • Hershey’s chocolate bars

  7. Spectator Sports and Baseball • Boxing and baseball became popular as spectator sports – had just been for fun before • Baseball – appeared in the US in 1845, and became popular during the Civil War • By 1900s, game had been standardized, and clubs were appearing everywhere in the country

  8. Mass Culture • Newspapers – worked harder to grab readers’ attention with interesting stories – “sin, sex, and scandal.” • Fine arts – art galleries appear in cities, many free and public libraries • Popular fiction – more book writers start writing light fiction, as opposed to heavy literature

  9. Shopping • First shopping center appears in 1890 – people could come, stroll around, and view window displays • Department stores – actually begin as early as 1865 • Chain stores – stores that offered the same products at many locations saved money by buying in large quantities

  10. Advertising • Money spent on advertising went from $10 million in 1865 to $95 million by 1900 • Advertisers used innovative methods – put advertisements on buildings, rocks, etc. • Catalogs introduced – people could look through the catalog and order through a form, then have it delivered to their house

  11. Discussion Questions • When you have free time, what kind of leisure activities do you do? How are these different from those in the late 1900s? • Compare and contrast news and media of the early 1900s (newspapers) to today. How are they the same? Different? • Compare and contrast shopping and advertising of the early 1900s (newspapers) to today. How are they the same? Different?

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