Discussion+Questions


 * Discussion Questions**


 * 1. What made Barnum so famous for his time? **


 * 2. Was Barnum a “respectable” entrepreneur? A fake? To what extent was he both? **** What evidence can you cite to make your case? **


 * 3. How did Barnum balance “respectability” with the public’s desire for entertainment, and – at times – cheap and exploited entertainment? **


 * 4. Why was Barnum considered a “genius”? What made him good at selling his ideas? What did he know or come to realize before everyone else? **


 * 5. What benefit did Barnum bring to his audience? What benefit do we have from Barnum today? Is his only influence in the circus? **


 * 6. Were Barnum’s “attractions” meaningless or did they serve the cause of enlightenment? Why were some attractions more popular than others? **


 * 7. What would you have liked to see in Barnum’s museum? **

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 * 8. What does Barnum’s popularity tell us about the nineteenth-century United States? **** Would people be any different today? **

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