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Intellectual & Cultural Movements Intellectual & Cultural Movements and Popular Entertainment and Popular Entertainment

in the late 19th Centuryin the late 19th Century

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““Conspicuous Consumption”Conspicuous Consumption” In his book “The Theory of the In his book “The Theory of the

Leisure Class,” American Leisure Class,” American economist Thorstein Veblen economist Thorstein Veblen described what he referred to described what he referred to as “conspicuous as “conspicuous consumption.” consumption.”

Conspicuous consumption is Conspicuous consumption is essentially consumption for essentially consumption for the overt purpose of showing the overt purpose of showing off one’s wealth and status. off one’s wealth and status.

““One portion of the servant One portion of the servant class, chiefly those persons class, chiefly those persons whose occupation is vicarious whose occupation is vicarious leisure, come to undertake a leisure, come to undertake a new, subsidiary range of new, subsidiary range of duties--the vicarious duties--the vicarious consumption of goodsconsumption of goods.”.”

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Women's Suffrage Women's Suffrage Elizabeth Cady Stanton Elizabeth Cady Stanton

and Susan B. Anthony and Susan B. Anthony met in 1851; three years met in 1851; three years after Stanton organized after Stanton organized the first woman's rights the first woman's rights convention in Seneca convention in Seneca Falls, New York. Falls, New York.

They were the They were the spearheads of the spearheads of the Women’s Suffrage Women’s Suffrage Movement. Movement.

They believed that voting They believed that voting rights should be based rights should be based upon citizenship rather upon citizenship rather than sex. than sex.

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Although the American women would not Although the American women would not receive the vote until 1920, the suffragists receive the vote until 1920, the suffragists persevered throughout the 19th century. persevered throughout the 19th century.

In 1878, a Women’s Suffrage amendment was In 1878, a Women’s Suffrage amendment was introduced and was debated over for years. introduced and was debated over for years.

In 1892, Elizabeth Cady Stanton addressed the In 1892, Elizabeth Cady Stanton addressed the Congress to help sway the vote. Congress to help sway the vote.

In this excerpt, she reasserts that citizenship is In this excerpt, she reasserts that citizenship is the root of enfranchisement.the root of enfranchisement. ““Secondly, if we consider her as a citizen, as a Secondly, if we consider her as a citizen, as a

member of a great nation, she must have the same member of a great nation, she must have the same rights as all other members, according to the rights as all other members, according to the fundamental principles of our government.”fundamental principles of our government.”   

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The Morrill Act of 1862The Morrill Act of 1862 Signed by Abraham Lincoln on July 2, 1862, the Signed by Abraham Lincoln on July 2, 1862, the

Morrill Act made higher education accessible to Morrill Act made higher education accessible to a broader spectrum of Americans by starting a broader spectrum of Americans by starting state universities across the country. state universities across the country.

It provided each state with 30,000 acres of It provided each state with 30,000 acres of public land for each Senator and public land for each Senator and Representative, the land was then to be sold Representative, the land was then to be sold and the proceeds put in an endowment fund to and the proceeds put in an endowment fund to provide support for the state colleges. provide support for the state colleges.

The increase in educational opportunities The increase in educational opportunities contributed to and was enjoyed by the growing contributed to and was enjoyed by the growing middle class in the late 19th century.middle class in the late 19th century.

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The Gilded Age The Gilded Age The Gilded Age is a term, coined The Gilded Age is a term, coined

by Mark Twain, applied to late by Mark Twain, applied to late 19th Century America that refers 19th Century America that refers to the superficial exhibition and to the superficial exhibition and adoration of wealth that was adoration of wealth that was characteristic of the period. characteristic of the period.

The wealthy were almost painted The wealthy were almost painted in gold as the name implies, in gold as the name implies, displaying their fortunes at every displaying their fortunes at every possible opportunity. possible opportunity.

Written by Twain and Charles Written by Twain and Charles Dudley Warner and published in Dudley Warner and published in 1873, "The Gilded Age" is a 1873, "The Gilded Age" is a satirical novel about materialism satirical novel about materialism and corruption in the 1870’s. and corruption in the 1870’s.

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American Impressionism American Impressionism American artists adopted the American artists adopted the

Impressionist style of painting Impressionist style of painting from the likes of Monet, from the likes of Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, and Pissarro, Renoir, and Cézanne, to name a few. Cézanne, to name a few.

The Impressionist style of The Impressionist style of painting is characterized by painting is characterized by loose brushwork and vivid loose brushwork and vivid colors and became a widely colors and became a widely used style in late 19th century used style in late 19th century America. America.

Maurice Brazil Prendergast, in Maurice Brazil Prendergast, in addition to being quite skilled addition to being quite skilled with the impressionist style of with the impressionist style of light and color, incorporated light and color, incorporated structure as integral into his structure as integral into his sketches and watercolors. sketches and watercolors.

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Patrons of the Arts Patrons of the Arts In the late 19th century the In the late 19th century the

upper classes lived lavish upper classes lived lavish lifestyles, not only pouring their lifestyles, not only pouring their money into vacation and money into vacation and country homes, jewelry, furs, country homes, jewelry, furs, fashion, and extravagence at fashion, and extravagence at every turn, but also into every turn, but also into European art and funding European art and funding symphony, opera, and ballet symphony, opera, and ballet companies.companies.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, founded in 1870, located for founded in 1870, located for one year on 5th Avenue and one year on 5th Avenue and then seven years on West 14th then seven years on West 14th Street, at its 1880 location in Street, at its 1880 location in Central Park.Central Park.

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VaudevilleVaudeville

Vaudeville, as it was Vaudeville, as it was popularized, grew out of popularized, grew out of Burlesque to create a Burlesque to create a more family friendly more family friendly entertainment venue. entertainment venue.

It was the most popular It was the most popular form of commercial form of commercial entertainment primarily entertainment primarily because it bridged the because it bridged the gap between middle and gap between middle and working class tastes. working class tastes.

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RagtimeRagtime In the late 19th Century, African Americans living in the In the late 19th Century, African Americans living in the

north began to play a new style of music called Ragtime. north began to play a new style of music called Ragtime. By the turn of the century, it was popular throughout the By the turn of the century, it was popular throughout the

country and enjoyed by many different groups of people. country and enjoyed by many different groups of people. The 1800’s was the era when Ragtime became The 1800’s was the era when Ragtime became

distinguished in its own right alongside the Cakewalk and distinguished in its own right alongside the Cakewalk and Jazz, which would surpass it in popularity by the 1920’s. Jazz, which would surpass it in popularity by the 1920’s.

The Maple Leaf Rag was published in 1899 and is The Maple Leaf Rag was published in 1899 and is viewed as the turning point after which, Ragtime viewed as the turning point after which, Ragtime exhibited more depth and sophistication than it exhibited more depth and sophistication than it previously had.previously had.

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CircusCircus The American circus was The American circus was

revolutionized by P. T. revolutionized by P. T. Barnum and William Cameron Barnum and William Cameron Coup, who launched P. T. Coup, who launched P. T. Barnum's Museum, Menagerie Barnum's Museum, Menagerie & Circus, a travelling & Circus, a travelling combination animal and combination animal and human oddities, the exhibition human oddities, the exhibition of humans as a freakshow or of humans as a freakshow or sideshow was thus an sideshow was thus an American invention. American invention.

Coup was also the first circus Coup was also the first circus entrepreneur to use circus entrepreneur to use circus trains to transport the circus trains to transport the circus from town to town; a practice from town to town; a practice that continues today and that continues today and introduced the first multiple introduced the first multiple ringed circuses. ringed circuses.

It was this quality of the It was this quality of the travelling circus that travelling circus that allowed Americans allowed Americans across the nation, not across the nation, not just in the big cities, to just in the big cities, to enjoy its entertainment enjoy its entertainment

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Public SpacesPublic Spaces

Construction on Central Construction on Central Park began in 1857 on 840 Park began in 1857 on 840 acres in the center of acres in the center of Manhattan. Manhattan.

The terrain was wholly The terrain was wholly unsuitable for commercial unsuitable for commercial building due to its building due to its combination of swampy and combination of swampy and rocky areas. rocky areas.

City planners and the park’s City planners and the park’s designer Frederick Law designer Frederick Law Olmsted envisioned an area Olmsted envisioned an area with the feel of unspoiled with the feel of unspoiled countryside where the elite countryside where the elite could relax and socialize, could relax and socialize, transformed from its transformed from its previous state. previous state.

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It was obvious from It was obvious from the outset that the the outset that the park was intended for park was intended for the upper classes; it the upper classes; it was too far for the was too far for the working classes to working classes to access and park rules access and park rules favored sedate favored sedate behavior. behavior.

By the end of the By the end of the 19th century 19th century however, activities however, activities were allowed on were allowed on Sundays and people Sundays and people were allowed to walk were allowed to walk in the expansive in the expansive grassy areas.grassy areas.

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Not long after the conception Not long after the conception of Central Park, Coney Island of Central Park, Coney Island began to come into its own. began to come into its own.

As soon as the streetcar lines As soon as the streetcar lines reached the island in 1860’s reached the island in 1860’s businesses sprang up businesses sprang up primarily associated with primarily associated with leisure activities. leisure activities.

Major hotels, beaches, and Major hotels, beaches, and amusement parks populated amusement parks populated the island originally designed the island originally designed for the wealthy inhabitants of for the wealthy inhabitants of New York City. New York City.

By the end of the century, By the end of the century, however, Coney Island had however, Coney Island had become less of a resort and become less of a resort and more of a day trip location for more of a day trip location for the working classes of the citythe working classes of the city

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BaseballBaseball Baseball quickly became a Baseball quickly became a

national sport as local ball national sport as local ball clubs began to tour and play clubs began to tour and play regular games. regular games.

Early on the National League Early on the National League formed in order to cater to formed in order to cater to middle class mentality when middle class mentality when they banned the sale of they banned the sale of alcohol, raised ticket prices, alcohol, raised ticket prices, and did not play on Sundays. and did not play on Sundays.

The American Association on The American Association on the other hand, kept ticket the other hand, kept ticket prices down, sold liquor, and prices down, sold liquor, and played on Sundays, catering to played on Sundays, catering to the working class immigrants the working class immigrants who saw it as a form of who saw it as a form of recreation and relaxation. recreation and relaxation.

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By the early 1870’s club managers learned how to make By the early 1870’s club managers learned how to make it a profitable business. it a profitable business.

Baseball was promoted and quickly became more Baseball was promoted and quickly became more popular when cigarette companies, among others, began popular when cigarette companies, among others, began to baseball cards as advertisement.to baseball cards as advertisement.