Early American Journalism
Part one: Colonial press, continued
Questions for next week:
- James Franklin is remembered in history as being what sort of printer and journalist?
- The trial of John Peter Zenger is fundamental to understanding press freedom. Why?
- What role did Catherine Zenger play during the trial and her husband's imprisonment?
- During what conflict did networks of "news writers" appear and Franklin's "Join or Die" woodcut first appear?
- Did the Revolutionary-era colonies enjoy a high rate of literacy? Did this help the introduction of journalistic publications?
Part two: Revolutionary journalism
Questions for next week:
- The Stamp Act is central to both journalism and US history. What did the Stamp Act require the citizens to purchase and how did they react?
- Who was most affected by the Stamp Act, in terms of industries and professions?
- How did printers react to the Stamp Act?
- Was the press impartial during the Revolutionary War?
- What do the stories of John Mein and Jemmy Rivington tell us about those who published Tory contributions?
- How was publication made difficult for publishers on both the Tory and Patriot sides of the war?
- How did the Patriot press serve as a cheerleader for the Colonial troops during the war?