Public Opinion Politics, Technology, and Ideas from Reconstruction to the 1920s

The “Rise of Public Opinion” The Newspaper Age The Decline of Popular Politics Public Relations, Propaganda, and Civil Liberties

Newspapers Before 1865 Party Papers & Blanket Sheets The Penny Press The Civil War

Newspapers After 1865 The “Independent” Metropolitan Daily From party editors to “press lords” The Newspaper as Big Business Advertising 30% to 50% of content, Revenue doubles every decade Economies of Scale Steam presses, wire services, half-tone process, etc.

Newspaper Circulation (per 100 households)

A New Reading Public Urbanization More Diverse African-American press Foreign language press Better Educated 1870: 52% of children in school 1900: 72% of children in school

New Journalisms Newspapers & Urban Life Health and “swill scandals” Political machines and corruption

Thomas Nast vs. Tammany

Other Scandals “The Beecher,” 1872 Victoria Woodhull and Obscenity Comstock Act, 1873 Press liberty v. public morals

“Yellow” Journalism Or “Story” Journalism Hearst, Pulitzer, et al. Reaching new readers Supplements, Sunday editions, and graphics Women and immigrants News for the working and lower-middle classes

Spanish-American War

Newer Journalisms “Information” Journalism Adolph Ochs and The New York Times Professionalism “Decency” The ‘moral wars’ of the 1890s News for the educated middle-classes?

“Muckraking” “Quality” Magazines and the Middle Classes Harper’s, Century, Scribner’s, Collier’s, Cosmopolitan Socialist Press and the Working Classes Appeal to Reason and The Jungle From Outrage to Cynicism?

Voter Turnout in National Elections

Politics Before 1865 A “State of Courts and Parties” Wartime expansion

Shadow of the Civil War The ‘Bloody Shirt’ Veterans and Politics Pensions and jobs The Grand Army of the Republic Militias, Parades, and Political Ballyhoo

Gilded Age Politics The Apotheosis of Popular Politics Strong Parties, Weak Presidents Close Elections, Negligible Mandates “Special” Legislation and “Corruption” William Seward on the Republican Party: “a joint-stock company in which those who contribute the most, direct the action and management of the concern.”

Issues Tariffs The Currency Railroad Regulation Trusts and Monopolies Civil Service Reform

Cultural Aspects Republicans ‘Mainstream’ Evangelical moralism Democrats Outsiders Liturgical / libertarian Issues Drink, schools, immigration Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion

Splinter Groups Anti-Vice Republicans Grangers and Greenbackers Women Suffragists “Mugwumps” / Liberal Republicans

Educational Politics Liberals and Anti-Party Reform Civil Service Australian Ballot Primaries Municipal reform Voter disenfranchisement Educating Public Opinion Ex: Currency

The Progressive “Movement” Progressives and the Educational Style Muckraking (again) Attacking “the interests” Airing the “smoke-filled rooms” Expertise and efficiency

Partisanship in Decline Emergence of “Pressure Groups” A Changing Electorate Middle class respectability Women and partisanship From Popular to Advertised Politics Centralization of party operations Money and campaigning

The Great War & Public Opinion

Disillusionment in the 1920s The “Propaganda Menace” The Dissent Cases and Modern Civil Liberties Walter Lippmann