Minstrel Shows Lecture Notes

Flashcards about Minstrel Shows and other forms of American Entertainment during the 1800's

Minstrel Shows

Form of American entertainment popular in the mid-19th century (1840s-1850s).

1830-1860

Period when technology began to commercialize American entertainment.

Dependence on Manufactured Entertainment

Americans became reliant on commercially produced and sold entertainment.

Ticket Prices (12 to 50 cents)

Common price range for tickets to museums, lectures, and theaters during the specified period.

Theater Attendees

Included lawyers, merchants, clerks, Africans, and prostitutes.

American Civil War

Minstrel Shows existed prior to this war.

Northern working class

Group that forged many racial stereotypes through Minstrel Shows.

Sense of Superiority

They reinforced white people's sense of racial dominance.

Burnt Cork

White performers who used burnt cork to darken their faces.

Slave labor

Northern working classes worried about this type of labor.

Revolution

Southern whites worried about this and population changes.

Portrayal of Africans

Stereotypical portrayals included clumsy, stupid, and 'loving slavery'.

Confirmation of White Beliefs

Reinforced pre-existing beliefs about race.