Slide 1
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Stuart England went through an ‘information revolution with profound consequences
for the political, religious, social, cultural and intellectual life of its citizens,’ after the
creation of the ‘newspaper’ revolutionized the way in which news was brought to the
masses.
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The modern day term ‘newspaper’ is used to describe newsbooks and pamphlets which
regularly had new editions published, that were used as a vehicle to convey the news,
from both England and overseas.
Slide 2
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These had to be imported from Amsterdam, the centre of European journalism at the
time
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Historians such as Bourne have termed these as ‘faulty and slight,’ and writes that they
deal with ‘foreign events of importance… very superficially.’
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Throughout this decade, they went from being ‘clumsily written chronicles’ to ‘coming of
age,’ This expression of the newspaper going through ‘childhood,’ ‘early adolescence,’
‘coming of age,’ and ‘maturity’ comes from Joseph Frank’s book The Beginnings of the
English Newspaper
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This metaphor is a useful way of highlighting the extent to which the newspaper industry
grew
Slide 3
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The fact that newsbooks and pamphlets were written on a weekly basis, if not twice a
week or daily, strongly suggests that there was a desire by those that read them to read
each updated edition.
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It is difficult to get an accurate reading on exactly what percentage of adults in Stuart
England could read, but one telling statistic is that in 1500, only 6% of the population in
England could sign their own name, but by 1800, 53% of the population could achieve
this.
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Therefore, obviously a lot of news would have been spread orally, but this doesn’t mean
that the newspapers weren’t important, as those that could read could then inform
those who couldn’t
Slide 4
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The population in the late Stuart period were significantly more informed about their
world, and therefore they were able to form opinions, discuss national events, and
participate in political, religious, and cultural debates that only the wealthy and elite had
been able to do before this point.
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This was a threat to those in power, as reflected in this letter.
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This therefore highlights the huge impact which the formation of newspapers had on the
political scale, as within a matter of decades, topics which only the elite would discuss
became available to a much larger audience, and they therefore were able to be
outraged at political scandal, or feel that there was a sense of unfairness in the way the
country was being run.
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Habermas - making an argument for a newly active audience that could be critical of
those in authority. The newspaper therefore gave a political voice to those other than
the elite.
Slide 5
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This shows how quickly the industry adapted and became popular.
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This would have had resonance with the readers, and some may have been in a similar
position, and this therefore highlights one of the ways in which these newspapers
impacted and helped its readers, and suggests why the demand for them were so high.
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Cost as little as a penny, for those in the country the cost of transportation meant that it
could triple in price, which could put it out of the reach of the poor, but otherwise a
weekly report of the news was easily accessible, and the newspapers could therefore
reach a large audience.
Slide 6
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With the political turmoil of the Civil War, weekly newsbooks were seen as an excellent
vehicle with which to convey a political message, and the newsbooks themselves
became radicalized, and their objectives and rhetoric shifted.
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This simple example, highlighting that the kingdom is bleeding, shows how newspapers
were used to try and sway readers.
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The Royalists used their seemingly superior literary skills to suggest that they were the
worthier side, whereas Nedham used barbed words to try and get his message through.
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However, there was great surprise from everyone when Nedham became the editor for
Mercurius Pragmaticus, a royalist weekly newsbook, and then wrote in support of the
King.
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Nedham, seen by many as a brilliantly clever writer, could equal someone such as
Hobbes in supporting a semi dictatorial state, but through the weekly Mercurius
Pragmaticus, as opposed to one text such as Leviathan.
Slide 7
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The seventeenth century saw the invention of a ‘new technology of information
dissemination,’ which shaped the habits of reading, social life, and the politics of Stuart
England.
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Scholars such as Sommerville make explicit comparisons between the social impact of
the creation of newspapers in Stuart England to the social impact of the internet
revolution in the 1990s. Age of information.
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Scholars such as Dooley have explored an early modern shift, suggesting that a steady
flow of information extended current experience beyond immediate circumstances, and
this again is evidence of the newspaper changing the political scene, and therefore the
advent of the newspaper had a big political impact on society.
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Civil War – Influenced its readers one way or the other
Conclusion
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Franks idea of newspapers travelling far – dissemination – cheap – Literacy rates going
up
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Political writing of Nedham – Writings could influence the readers. Seen as vehicles for
political purposes
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Caused a challenge to the leaders of the country in a way it hadn’t done before. Only the
elite had access beforehand
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Had a hugely significant role in shaping the events and history of this period. In a
backdrop of political turmoil, the newspaper was able to influence people’s views, and
changed the social and political landscape massively.