What is this digital public history exhibit about?
This digital public history exhibit is about advertising in the 18th century. The exhibit posts advertisements everyday that were published 250 years ago in colonial newspapers . On the top of the page it states, “An Exploration of Advertising in Colonial America 250 Years Ago This Week.”
Who made it, and why?
The Adverts 250 Project is managed by Carl Robert Keyes, an associate professor of history at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was created to explore the history of advertising during the 18th century and analyze them in great detail. The digital exhibit also highlights the marketing items and/or examine issues related to research and historical sources.
What kinds of primary sources did you find it?
The sources the exhibit has are newspaper cut outs from the day 250 years ago, there really isn’t a variety of sources.
Overall, what did the digital public history exhibit do well?
I believe the digital exhibit achieved the goal they set out which was to explore advertising in the 18th century and I like how it is every single day instead of just a mash up of different newspaper cutouts. The navigation was easy and the page is pleasing to look at. In addition, I enjoyed the fact that they categorized the posts by month and year which makes navigating through the page even easier. Overall, I like the exhibit and the purpose it was made for.
Overall, what could be improved in the digital public history exhibit?
The biggest thing that I can see that the page should improve on is their archives because while it is easy to navigate and you can see the posts from each month there isn’t a tab or place where a viewer can go see all the sources or research tools that the exhibit has to offer. I think it is a great place to research advertising, but there should be easier access to all sources as well as everything the page has to offer the viewer.
Thinking about digital humanities more broadly, what is gained, and what is lost, when representing the pass through this digital public history exhibit?
What is lost through this digital exhibit is the emotional connection to the newspaper and the importance of it because this advertisements were tailored for a different time period. However, what is gained is an understanding of advertising during the 18th century and it allows the reader to see how the media would approach the public during those times, in addition, this serves as a great place for students to research and use sources as well as allow teachers to use cutouts for lessons.
-JP Ospina