Emma Trzupek

Paidea Research Paper

Mr. Belisle
December 7, 2018

P. T. Barnum: More Than a Showman

In 1885 when Jumbo the elephant died, P. T. Barnum wasn’t upset, simply

preserved the skin and put the skeleton on display. P. T. Barnum’s early life was very

influential with him becoming a showman. Also, he has a very intriguing story on how he

became interested in the show business. Barnum’s many acts and spectacles in his

museum changed America, for better or for worse. P. T.’s acts were treated fine, but

some people didn’t like how he was showing them off the way he did. P. T. Barnum’s

circus became an icon to be remembered, but his lesser-known side of politics was just

as successful. Still, it is clear that P. T. Barnum’s career as a circus owner and a

showman is a great example of entrepreneurship in the 19th century.

P. T. Barnum’s Early Life

P. T. Barnum’s early life shaped him into the showman he would later become

famous for. On July 5th, 1810, Phineas Taylor Barnum was born in Bethel, Connecticut,

to Philo Barnum and Irene Taylor, his father’s second wife. He had 9 siblings, 5 from the

first wife, and 4 from Irene. His grandfather (also named Phineas) was a practical joker,

and Phineas loved him for that. In the 19th century, “practical jokes were one of the few

legal forms of entertainment” (Mangan). Other entertainment was considered not right

for the public to be involved with. He took the jokes and humor from his grandfather and

used it when he was a showman later on in his life. That explains how Barnum’s early

life influenced him to come into the show buisness. His father got him started in selling

candy and small trinkets very young so that he could teach Phineas finances. He
earned a lot of money this way, so his father made him pay for his own clothes. Phineas

said that this was so “it kept [his] pile reduced to a moderate size” (Fleming 12).

Finances are an important part of the show buisness. Though some would say that

Barnum definitely didn’t learn finances with all of the money that he lost, he learned how

to take risks and profit from it. Phineas loved math, but absolutely despised physical

labor. Unfortunately, because of his father’s jobs as a tailor and tavern keeper, Phineas

got stuck working on the family farm. P. T. Barnum’s life was shaped around the town

he lived in and the people he knew. He got the gift of practical jokes from his father, and

Bethel, Connecticut was where he was allowed to try out his advertising schemes and

get started in finances. That's how P. T. Barnum’s early life shaped him into the

showman he would be known for around the world.

Work Life

P.T. Barnum’s work life inspired him to come into the show business. At the age

of 15, his father passed away, and he had to take over the farm completely to provide

for his family. He had many jobs, from a shopkeeper to a store clerk, and a lottery

agent. He was always trying to get money without hard work, and the lottery was just

the way to do it. Once, he bought glass bottles off of a merchant, and everyone thought

he was crazy. The next day, he began selling lottery tickets, claiming that half of the

people would win a special prize, but that there were only 1000 tickets. He sold out,

proving that his advertising method works. He also wrote articles in the local

newspaper, The Herald, even though he got in trouble multiple times. He was arrested 3

times for defamation, and he always spoke his mind, even when the paper didn’t want

him to. His outspokenness eventually got him fired. This is another reason why Barnum
entered the show business. He would be allowed to speak his mind and the only thing

he would lose is profits. One of Barnum’s main source of inspiration was when Hack

Bailey came into the little town of Bethel with an elephant. In that time, elephants were

very rare in America, as they had to be bought and shipped from what was then

considered exotic places, like India. Hack paid $10,000 for the elephant, and gave up

another $30,000 to have it shipped to America. Some claim that Hack’s elephant was

the first in America. Hack certainly inspired Barnum, and the main thing that he took

away from Hack’s show was that “when entertaining the public, it’s best to have an

elephant” (Fleming 15). He realized this because the people of the town loved seeing

rare things and curiosities, and so he always had a sense of what the public wanted and

gave it to them. This proves that P. T .Barnum’s work life inspired his future. His time

working as a lottery agent and a shop owner taught him finances, and when he was

working in Bethel, Hack Bailey came and introduced him to the unknown, and showed

him what the public wants. This is how P. T. Barnum’s work life inspired him to be a

showman.

The American Museum

P. T. Barnum’s museum was so successful, it made him famous around the

world. One of his clever ideas was to open a place where people could see the

impossible. There were stuffed animal statues, live performances, and curiosities.

Barnum knew that, at the time, people were interested in what they didn’t understand.

He wanted “to rekindle a sense of wonder” (Fleming 2). People would buy tickets twice,

just to see if the acts were truly real. This proves that Barnum was very popular,

because so many people paid twice. If a show began to become less popular, then he
created doubt so people would return. He also got a personal invitation from the queen

of England to come and have his show perform for her. This made him a recognised

person around the world, and very important and powerful people knew who he was.

When P. T. went to England, he also picked up probably his most successful act when

he owned the museum; Jenny Lind, the Swedish Nightingale. They had a contract for

150 concerts around America. Even though Barnum ended the tour early, he made over

$500,000. Jenny Lind helped make him an international icon, proving that his acts made

him famous around the world. Unfortunately, in 1868, the museum burned down, putting

P. T. on the headlines again. Devastated, Barnum left the show business broke, yet

successful. He attempts to write an autobiography, called The Life of P. T. Barnum to

get money. Most people don’t buy it, probably tired of Barnum’s schemes and lies. Still,

Barnum made many headlines with his many curiosities and spectacles at the museum.

That's how P. T. Barnum’s American Museum made him famous all around the world.

Treatment of the Acts

P. T. Barnum’s acts were respected, but some didn’t like his approach to

showing off the spectacles. Most people had mixed feelings about P. T. Many believed

that he “used deception to amuse the audience” (The life of P. T. Barnum). Many didn’t

like what Barnum was doing, showing off people as entertainment. Most of the time

though, the acts came to him in need of money. For example, Chang and Eng were

siamese twins who wanted to go to college, so they performed at the museum for 6

weeks. They practically sold themselves into slavery, but in the end they earned enough

money to go to college from that. This proves that P. T. treated his acts fairly, because

he let Chang and Eng keep the money they earned, so they could make the most of life.
But, one act, Barnum’s first “oddity”, was a slave. Her name was Joice Heth, and she

claimed to be the nurse of George Washington, which would make her around 161

years old, or so she said. Barnum bought her from Coley Bartram. They toured around

New England, Joice singing, telling stories, and answering questions about America’s

founder. P. T. Barnum made around $1,500 a week, but Joice never got a penny. Some

people protested against Barnum having a slave, which shows how why people didn’t

like how he treated his spectacles. Still, Barnum didn’t mistreat her in any way, and he

respected her. He responded to the protests by saying, “I am a showman, and all the

gilding shall make nothing else of me” (Fleming 3). This explains that P. T. believed he

was doing the right thing.

Political Career

P. T. Barnum’s outspoken views on politics were very influential in Connecticut

and around America. Barnum was always a Democrat. Completely against slavery

(which is ironic, considering the fact that he owned a slave) he held many rallies and

protested openly. He was part of the Locofoco, which is a branch of the Democratic

party. In 1867, he was part of the House of Representatives, which shows that he was

very influential. Barnum also helped found a Democratic organization called

Temperance, whose job was to protect certain laws in Connecticut. P. T. also had ways

to get people to vote. Back then, not everyone voted. Women weren’t allowed to, and

there's just not as many people that did compared to now. “It always seemed to

[Barnum] that the people that don’t care about politics shouldn't live in a country where

people can choose the leader” (Mangan). P. T. wanted people involved with the

government that could work with him and his ideas, and he believed that if someone
didn’t want to vote, then they shouldn’t live in a place where it’s encouraged. Basically,

P. T. wanted people to vote. The thing was, he didn’t want people to vote for the other

party. So, he told people to vote for him or don’t vote at all. There was probably bribery

involved, but either way, it worked. In 1875, he was elected mayor of Bridgeport. Back

then, people were only mayor for one year. Many good changes came with his election.

P. T. worked to close the saloons because he was very against drinking. Barnum also

lowered utility rates, fought against discrimination, and helped build drainage systems,

among other things. These positive changes helped Bridgeport for the better. Change

was important, because he helped his town safety-wise, with the drainage systems. He

also helped less fortunate people with costs going down, which was good for the town

because many people were poor and couldn’t afford basic needs. Since P. T. helped

with that, it proves that the changes that he made to Bridgeport helped the town for the

better. Those changes show how P. T.’s views were influential around America.

Partnership with Bailey

P. T. Barnum’s work with J. A. Bailey created a circus that will never be forgotten.

In 1888, P. T. Barnum paired up with his biggest rival in the entertainment business; J.

A. Bailey. Together they created Barnum and Bailey Circus. Bailey had an elephant,

Barnum had spectacles, and they toured the country. They were both good at

“promoting hoaxes and human curiosities” (Mangan). One of Barnum’s greatest ideas

was to have the circus move. It had never been done before, partly because it would be

very hard to move all of the shows and animals. But Barnum could. Unfortunately, all

ideas have a downfall. Jumbo the elephant was hit and killed by one of the trains when

the circus workers were moving the animals around. The accident made the news, and
Barnum was on the headlines again. Because he was famous by the time he created

his circus, he met and became friends with influential people, such as Mark Twain and

Abraham Lincoln. Everyone knew of Barnum and his legacy. This shows how he would

never be forgotten. According to Irving Wallace, he knew “what startled, amazed,

astonished, titillated, thrilled, the special extra sense of knowing what every man was

curious about and then finding the means by which to exploit this curiosity” (Mangan).

When P. T. died in his sleep on April 7th, 1891, his grandson inherited the circus. A few

years later, he sold it to the Ringling Brothers circus, who had become Barnum &

Bailey's main competitors. This made Still, Barnum’s partnership with Bailey was never

forgotten and is still mentioned today in movies and TV shows. That shows the

impression that they made on the world. It’s clear that when P. T. Barnum worked with

J. A. Bailey, they created a circus that will be remembered for a very long time.

Legacy and Impact

P. T. Barnum’s career as both a showman and a circus owner fully represents

entrepreneurship in the 19th century. P. T. Barnum’s early life shaped him into the

showman the world would eventually get to know. His work life contributed as

inspiration for the show business. Barnum’s museum made him famous across

America, for reasons, both good and bad. The acts P. T. displayed were treated right,

but some people didn’t agree. P. T.’s collaboration with J. A. Bailey left a legacy to be

remembered for generations to come, and his political side left a lasting impact on the

town of Bridgeport, CT. Barnum’s legacy is everywhere from the town where he was the

mayor and the improvements he made. He also taught the public that people with
different looks are something to be proud of. P. T. Barnum embraced entrepreneurship

in the 1800s and left a legacy that will be remembered.

Works Cited

“The Life of P.T. Barnum.” Discovery Education, American Heroes Channel,

2014, app.discoveryeducation.com/learn/videos/6373fe94-c0bc-4aab-a7a1-

32759b6a8020.

Barnum, Phineas Taylor. The Life of P. T. Barnum. Collins Classics, 2017.

The Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth. Middletown, Delaware, Charles

River Editors, 2018.

Fleming, Candace. The Great and Only Barnum. New York, Schwartz & Wade

Books, 2007.

Mangan, Gregg. "P. T. Barnum." I.A.R. Middle School, 12 Nov. 2018,

Farmington. Lecture.

---. "P. T. Barnum: An Entertaining Life." Connecticut History, CTHumanities, 5

July 2018, connecticuthistory.org/p-t-barnum-an-entertaining-life/. Accessed 19

Oct. 2018.

"P. T. Barnum." Business Leader Profiles for Students, edited by Sheila Dow and

Jaime E. Noce, vol. 1, Gale, 1999. Biography In Context,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1604000015/BIC?u=farm91674&sid=BIC&xi

d=9e2e4bf4. Accessed 18 Oct. 2018.

"P. T. Barnum." Connecticut History, CTHumanities, 2 May 2012,

connecticuthistory.org/people/p-t-barnum/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2018.

"P. T. Barnum's Appeal." Hartford Courant [Hartford], 25 Mar. 1852, p. 2.

ProQuest,

search.proquest.com/hnphartfordcourant/docview/552981055/9A1562756277471

9PQ/2?accountid=46995. Accessed 2 Nov. 2018.