Magazines and the Making of America: Modernization, Community, and Print Culture, 1741–1860 (Princeton Studies in Cultural Sociology Book 67)

From the colonial era to the onset of the Civil War, __Magazines and the Making of America__ looks at how magazines and the individuals, organizations, and circumstances they connected ushered America into the modern age. How did a magazine industry emerge in the United States, where there were once only amateur authors, clumsy technologies for production and distribution, and sparse reader demand? What legitimated magazines as they competed with other media, such as newspapers, books, and letters? And what role did magazines play in the integration or division of American society? From their first appearance in 1741, magazines brought together like-minded people, wherever they were located and whatever interests they shared. As America became socially differentiated, magazines engaged and empowered diverse communities of faith, purpose, and practice. Religious groups could distinguish themselves from others and demarcate their identities. Social-reform movements could energize activists across the country to push for change. People in specialized occupations could meet and learn from one another to improve their practices. Magazines built translocal communities—collections of people with common interests who were geographically dispersed and could not easily meet face-to-face. By supporting communities that crossed various axes of social structure, magazines also fostered pluralistic integration. Looking at the important role that magazines had in mediating and sustaining critical debates and diverse groups of people, __Magazines and the Making of America__ considers how these print publications helped construct a distinctly American society. From The Colonial Era To The Onset Of The Civil War, Magazines And The Making Of America Looks At How Magazines And The Individuals, Organizations, And Circumstances They Connected Ushered America Into The Modern Age. How Did A Magazine Industry Emerge In The United States, Where There Were Once Only Amateur Authors, Clumsy Technologies For Production And Distribution, And Sparse Reader Demand? What Legitimated Magazines As They Competed With Other Media, Such As Newspapers, Books And Letters? And What Role Did Magazines Play In The Integration Or Division Of American Society? From Their First Appearance In 1741, Magazines Brought Together Like-minded People, Wherever Interests They Shared. As America Became Socially Differentiated, Magazines Engaged And Empowered Diverse Communities Of Faith, Purpose, And Practice. Religious Groups Could Distinguish Themselves From Others And Demarcate Their Identities. Social-reform Movements Could Energize Activists Across The Country To Push For Change. People In Specialized Occupations Could Meet And Learn From One Another To Improve Their Practices. Magazines Built Translocal Communities - Collections Of People Were Common Interests Who Were Geographically Dispersed And Could Not Easily Meet Face To Face. By Supporting Communities That Crossed Various Axes Of Social Structure, Magazines Also Fostered Pluralistic Integration. Looking At The Important Role That Magazines Had In Mediating And Sustaining Critical Debates And Diverse Groups Of People, Magazines And The Making Of America Considers How These Print Publications Helped Construct A Distinctly American Society. -- From Dust Jacket. Chatper 1: Introduction -- Why Focus On Magazines? -- Magazines, Modernization, And Community In America -- The Modernization Of America -- Modernization And Community In America -- The Path Forward: The Outline Of This Book -- Chapter 2: The History Of American Magazines, 1741-1860 -- Magazine Origins -- Magazine Evolutions -- Variety Within And Among Magazines -- Chapter 3: The Material And Cultural Foundations Of American Magazines -- Publishing Technologies -- Distribution Infrastructure: The Post Office -- The Reading Public -- Professional Authors And Copyright Law -- Chapter 4: Launching Magazines -- Who Founded American Magazines? -- Why Were Magazines Founded? -- How Did Magazines Gain Public Support? -- Chapter 5: Religion -- The Changing Face Of American Religion -- The Interplay Between Religion And Magazines -- Chapter 6: Social Reform -- The Evolution Of Social Reform Movements -- Religion And Reform: The Moral Impulse -- Magazines And Reform -- The Press, The Pulpit, And The Antislavery Movement -- Chapter 7: The Economy -- Economic Development -- Commerce And Magazines -- Rationality And Science In America -- A New American Revolution: Agriculture Becomes Scientific -- Chapter 8: Conclusion. Heather A. Haveman. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 List of Figures and Tables......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 14 CHAPTER 1 Introduction......Page 20 Why Focus on Magazines?......Page 23 Magazines, Modernization, and Community in America......Page 24 The Modernization of America......Page 28 Modernization and Community in America......Page 31 The Path Forward: The Outline of This Book......Page 34 Conclusion......Page 41 Magazine Origins......Page 42 Magazine Evolution......Page 45 Variety within and among Magazines......Page 60 Conclusion......Page 71 CHAPTER 3 The Material and Cultural Foundations of American Magazines......Page 74 Publishing Technologies......Page 76 Distribution Infrastructure: The Post Office......Page 80 The Reading Public......Page 93 Professional Authors and Copyright Law......Page 105 Conclusion......Page 122 Who Founded American Magazines?......Page 125 Why Were Magazines Founded?......Page 146 How Did Magazines Gain Public Support?......Page 155 Conclusion......Page 161 The Changing Face of American Religion......Page 162 The Interplay between Religion and Magazines......Page 179 Conclusion......Page 203 The Evolution of Social Reform Movements......Page 206 Religion and Reform: The Moral Impulse......Page 216 Magazines and Reform......Page 220 The Press, the Pulpit, and the Antislavery Movement......Page 231 Conclusion......Page 240 Economic Development......Page 243 Commerce and Magazines......Page 257 Rationality and “Science” in America......Page 264 A New American Revolution: Agriculture Becomes “Scientific”......Page 269 Conclusion......Page 286 CHAPTER 8 Conclusion......Page 288 Core Data on Magazines: Sources......Page 298 Refining the Sample: Distinguishing Magazines from Other Types of Publications......Page 300 Measuring Magazine Attributes......Page 303 Background Data on Magazine Founders......Page 310 Data on Religion......Page 313 Data on Antislavery Associations......Page 320 Other Contextual Data......Page 322 Units of Analysis......Page 326 Chapter 2: The History of American Magazines, 1741–1860......Page 328 Chapter 3: The Material and Cultural Foundations of American Magazines......Page 329 Chapter 4: Launching Magazines......Page 338 Chapter 5: Religion......Page 346 Chapter 6: Social Reform......Page 354 References......Page 362 Index......Page 414