Unit 4: "Freak Shows"

Grades

• 6-8
• 9-10
• 11-12

Subjects

• Language
• Social Studies

Overview of Lesson Plan

• P.T. Barnum took over the American Museum in New York City in 1841 and transformed it into a thriving entertainment center.  His approach to show business was adopted by others and his name became associated with many entertainment extravaganzas. He was the father of popular culture and of lavish advertising.  This lesson focuses on Barnum's advertising and business practices in exhibiting people with disabilities and others for amusement and profit.

Standards

• Social Studies:
  1. Explain and give examples of how language, literature, the arts, architecture, other artifacts, traditions, beliefs, values, and behaviors contribute to the development and transmission of culture.
  2. Analyze group and institutional influences on people, events, and elements of culture.
  3. Describe the role that supply and demand, prices, incentives, and profits play in determining what is produced and distributed in a competitive market system.
  Language:
  1. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
  

Objectives

• 1. To identify the literary tools or devices that influence or change someone's mind or way of thinking about a topic.
  2. To understand the elements of persuasion.
  3. To examine the history of advertising.
  4. To understand how people with disabilities and others were exhibited for amusement and profit.

Questions to Consider

• 1. What techniques did P.T. Barnum use to arouse public interest in his exhibits?
• 2. What forms of popular entertainment existed in the mid-1800s?
• 3. How were people with disabilities and others exhibited in "freak shows"?
• 4. What are contemporary parallels to "freak shows"?

Resources and Materials

• NOTE: Some of these links may lead to external web sites.
  1. Robert Bogdan, "Exhibiting People for Money: Terminology."
  2. Robert Bogdan, "P.T. Barnum's American Museum."
  3. "Background essay on Barnum's American Museum."
  4. "Barnum, Phineas Taylor."
  5. "An Illustrated Catalogue & Guide Book to Barnum's American Museum" (paragraphs 4-28).
  6. "The Life of P.T. Barnum" (paragraphs 119-179, 184-191, 488-496).
  7. "P.T. Barnum Lecture Broadside" (paragraphs 10-20).
  8. "Mr. Barnum on Museums."
  9. P.T. Barnum to Moses Kimball, Letter 5, September 4, 1843.
  10. P.T. Barnum to Moses Kimball, Letter 2, February 5, 1843 (paragraphs 4-6).
  11. Visual Stills: P.T. Barnum, Tom Thumb and his Wife, the Fiji Mermaid, Barnum's American Museum.
  12. Optional: 3-D, virtual tour of the American Museum.

Activities and Procedures

• 1. As homework or in class, have students review "Exhibiting People for Money: Terminology," "P.T. Barnum's American Museum," "Background Essay on Barnum's American Museum," "Barnum, Phineas Taylor," and the visual stills. Break students into small groups to answer the following questions. The students come back together as a class to discuss their answers to these questions in a teacher led discussion.
• a. What forms of amusement were provided at Barnum's American Museum?
• b. In addition to the American Museum, what other kinds of popular entertainment did Barnum promote?
• c. How does the American Museum differ from museums today?
• d. What are parallels to "freak shows" in contemporary society?
• 2. Explain the concept of "persuasion" to students (convincing or causing someone to do something, especially by reasoning, urging, or inducement).  Then have students read "Catalogue & Guide Book to Barnum's American Museum."  In small groups or individually, students look for persuasive language and other devices used to sell the museum (e.g., exaggeration).  In a teacher led discussion, list the language and devices identified by students.
• 3. Have students read "Catalogue & Guide Book" and "The Life of P.T. Barnum." In a whole-class or small group format, have students discuss the ways in which language is used to make the ordinary seem extraordinary (e.g., Hannah Couch is the most remarkable case of obesity).  Have students compare this type of exaggeration to advertisements today (e.g., the most amazing knife you will ever own).  What are the implications of making these claims?  What are the implications of "selling" people in this way?
• 4. Have students write a brief essay on one or both of the following questions:
• a. How has Barnum influenced the ways we market and "sell" people and their differences?
• b. Are there advertising ethics?  What should we expect from advertisers regarding responsibility for promoting ideas or ways of thinking?
• 5. Ask students: "How are Barnum's advertising techniques similar to advertising today?"  In small groups, have students act out a well-known commercial or create their own advertisement that uses some of the devices Barnum used.  Then have each group explain why they chose that particular commercial and share how the advertisers persuade the audience.
• 6. As homework, ask students to read the "P.T. Barnum's American Museum," Barnum's letters to Moses Kimball, "P.T. Barnum's Lecture Broadside," and "Mr. Barnum on Museums" (a response to a critical article on "Museums").  Students write an essay on the question: "Was P.T. Barnum a respectable businessperson?

Eras

• 1810-1865

Disability

• Physical Disabilities

Topics

• Freak Shows
• Media
• Museum

Copyright

• ©Syracuse University, 2002-2004. All rights reserved.

Author(s)

• Paula Kluth, Ph.D. and Steven J. Taylor, Ph.D.

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