Investigating Primary Sources about the Bradley Martin Ball

What can you learn about the ball from this article in the New York Times?  What assumptions have the editors of the paper made about their readers?  What is the Newspaper’s perspective on the issue?


1. Without reading this article, I learned a lot about the ball. The ball must have been super important because it took up the entire front page of the New York Times. Also, the newspaper is not celebrating the ball nor is it criticizing it. I think the newspaper is just telling its viewers this because they think that it is exciting and important. 

This website contains the New York Times article that was published after the ball.  What perspective on the event does it offer?  What can we learn about the event from this source? 

2. In this article, the perspective of the event that it offers seems as if they do not find the ball as important or exciting as it was set out to be. From this source, we learn multiple things about the event including how many guest came that were actually invited, the entertainment, the decorations, and much more. 

Why was the ball criticized by a clergyman (minister)?  Why did he see the ball as a problem?  Why do you think the newspaper published an article featuring his views?

3. The ball was criticized by a clergyman, or minister, because he thought that all of these displays of wealth were ill- advised. Also, the minister said that having lavish balls of the sort makes outsiders think badly of New York. The newspaper published this article featuring his views because they wanted to show two opposing opinions about the party. 

This website contains New York Times coverage of the ball as it ended.  What can you learn about the society of the time from reading this piece?

5. By reading this piece, I can determine that in this time period, the society care a lot about appearances of those around them. The reporters and witnesses payed attention to the tiniest of things about the ball. For example, what time guest left and who showed up late and etc. Also from this newspaper, I can tell that  the town was very gossipy based on some of the facts that were given in the newspaper. You could tell that people cared about the tiny things because every little thing mattered.