Work And Play In The City

Work and Play in the City

The city had been a place of work for a long time, but it was beginning to become almost as much of a place for play. As the average person was able to earn more money and have more free time, it was desirable to have some fun at the end of a hard day. Everyone found different ways to enjoy themselves, whether it is in one place that caters to many interests or many single interest places. Having a bit of fun became more and more important as the years progressed.

One of the major reasons the city became much more of a place for play was that there was a major shift in the types of work people were doing. Instead of intertwining enjoyment into your workday, people were sacrificing fun for shorter workdays and a more concentrated day. This also caused a great increase in wages. As this change occurred "recreation and play were not luxuries [anymore] but necessities in the modern city."

Different types of people found various ways to have their fun. Depending on how much money you made, your sex, or your race, you may have enjoyed much different methods of amusement. In theaters the African Americans always got the worst seats, and the rich people were usually box holders. In fact it became very difficult for performers to please such a mixed crowd. In fact, one English actor named Macready caused a riot because of a play he was performing. During his performance "a crowd of 10,000 gathered to protest. The militia was called to restore order, which it did, but only after 22 people had been killed, 150 hurt and 86 arrested." Though, soon after the theaters began to cater to certain interests instead of trying to cater to everyone at once.

Though the theaters were not a person's only source of entertainment there were plenty of other forms. One could

...