Victorian+America+Questions

Please answer the questions on this page in complete sentences. The “hyperlinked” words will lead you sites that will expand your understanding and may be useful for obtaining primary sources. 1.) What were some of the important inventions that patented? Which do you think has the most impact today?  2.) Describe Thomas Edison’s early life and his rise to fame and wealth. 3.) What were some of the other innovations or changes in that Thomas Edison pioneered? What were some of his mistakes?  1.) Explain how changes to [|communication, mass media], [|transportation] , and [|sports] marked the beginning of a new era in America. 2.) What types of changes took place within the economy and politics? 3.) What was “neurasthenia” and how did doctors explain its’ causes? How did Americans feel that they compared to the generation that had fought in the Civil War? 1.) How did sports and music symbolize a change in the outlook of American women and men? 2.) Why did parks become important to designers of cities? How did the [|Columbian Exposition of 1893] demonstrate that Americans were not interested in sobriety and self-control? 3.) How did places like help to satisfy the general public’s desire for changes from the manners and behaviors of the 1800’s?
 * The Making of Modern America- The Beginning of the American Century **
 * A.) The Wizard of Menlo Park **
 * B.) An Age of Innovation and the Birth of Modern Culture **
 * C.) The Revolt against [|Victorianism]**
 * D.) The Rise of Mass Communication**

1.)What are some examples of the mass communication that early 20th century Americans could enjoy? The people of the early 20th century could enjoy the radio, the mass circuited newspaper, and the advertising became widely used

2.) What types of strategies did newspaper publishers such as [|Hearst] and [|Scripps] use to increase readership and build their businesses? Hearst was the pioneer the color comic strip, advice columns and even women’s pages, fashion pages and also sports pages. Scripps used the business side to sway the readership. He bought newspapers across the country to expand the business. 3.) What is “ [|yellow journalism] ” and how does it compare with some of the media available today? 4.) How did modern magazines begin to differ from their 19th century cousins? 5.) What is a “ [|muckraker] ” and how do newspapers increase their sales by using them? 6.) How does [|modern advertising] emerge and what elements or characteristics do advertisers use to make people purchase their products? The advertisers found that they need to get the consumers attention. They applied a new marketing strategy by attracting the buyers with snappy new logs, sayings, designs and illustrations. In some cases they even claimed to cure small medical ailments. 7.) What are the long-term effects of changes in mass communication?