Thesis
Beyond antebellum sectionalism: New York City's local scene during the 1850s as reflected in the New York Times
Washington State University
Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
2008
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/102603
Abstract
Historian David M. Potter has asserted that "it should be remembered that most human beings during [the 1850s] went about their daily lives, preoccupied with their personal affairs, with no sense of impending disaster nor any fixation on the issue of slavery." This study tests Potter's statement by examining the concerns of 1850s New York Times readers. New York, the most populous and economically prosperous city in the nation, offers an abundance of printed sources, including newspapers and personal writings, for such an examination. Primarily using the New York Times and the diary of George Templeton Strong, the non-sectional matters and concerns to New Yorkers of the decade of the 1850s have been divided into three themes. The first, "A Modern City in a Modern World," concerns New York's drive to establish itself as a progressive and enlightened city on par with the major cities of Western Europe. This drive is demonstrated through the creation of the transatlantic telegraph cable and the development of consumerism and leisure activities. The second theme, "The Political Machine: The City's Conflicts," concerns New York's affliction with political corruption at both the state and local level. Of particular focus here are the career of Mayor Fernando Wood and the tensions between the city's nativists and immigrant groups. The final theme, "Societal Interests and Intrigues," concerns the oftensensational stories and events that captivated the Times' reading public. These events include the phenomenon of Spiritualism, debates concerning the temperance movement, and the public's fascination with murder of Dr. Harvey Burdell. Together, these three themes demonstrate the legitimacy of Potter's contention; during the 1850s New York City residents were concerned about numerous matters--they were hardly focused exclusively upon those of slavery and sectionalism.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Beyond antebellum sectionalism
- Creators
- Jacquelyn Ruth Parkinson
- Contributors
- Richard L. Hume (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- History, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525138601842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis