Early Modern Prints Workshop - Elmbridge Museum: Elmbridge Museum Website

About this session

In this session students will learn how the invention of the printing press changed the lives of men and women living in early modern Britain. Take a look at our PowerPoint to discover the cultural impact the printing press had on the dynamics of communication and engagement in 17th century England, then use one of our templates to create your own pamphlet or broadside ballad!

Print in 17th Century England
One of the many changes that occurred in England during the 17th century was the development of print culture. Explore the impact of the printing press on print culture and how it is relevant in the world today!

View Print in 17th Century England

How to make a pamphlet

Watch this video to learn how to make a pamphlet then have a go at making your own!

Step 1. Choose a format

Pamphlets
Newsbooks
Broadside ballads

A pamphlet is a booklet or leaflet containing information on a single topic. In the 17th Century, pamphlets could cover a wide range of topics from politics to religion and witchcraft!

People writing pamphlets had a range of formats to choose from – octavo, quarto or folio.

Newsbooks were a specific type of pamphlet. They contained news, which could be local, national or international.

The most popular form of newsbook in the 17th Century was a quarto. So if you are writing a newsbook, make sure you use the quarto format.

Unlike newsbooks and pamphlets, broadside ballads were composed of a single, large sheet of inexpensive paper. New ballads would be written to the tunes of well known songs, so the people who picked them up would immediately know the tune.

You can also choose a song to base your ballad on. It can be an old song or one that is popular today – just make sure you include its name so that others can sing along!

Step 2. Choose your template

Folio
A folio is folded once to create two leaves.

View Folio

Quarto
A quarto is folded twice to create a pamphlet with four leaves.

View Quarto

Octavo
An octavo is folded three times to create a small pamphlet with 8 leaves.

View Octavo

Step 3. Choose your topic

When deciding on your topic there are a few things you need to bear in mind.

Audience

When choosing a topic you need to keep your audience in mind, as these will be the people buying your pamphlet. Choose something that you feel the public (i.e. your classmates) would be interested in.

Relevance

These pamphlets were ephemera, which means they weren’t designed to be kept for a long time. Make sure you choose a topic that is relevant to today.

Step 4. Publish your pamphlet!

Once you have written your pamphlet it is ready to send into the wider world!

Here are some ways you can test how your pamphlet will fare!

In the 17th Century pamphlets and broadside ballads would often be sold on the streets of London with the sellers reading the titles of the prints out loud, to entice the curiosity of passing buyers to purchase it. What would your sales pitch for your pamphlet be?

Here is another important test for your pamphlet. Is it interesting to listen to as well as to read? In early modern England literacy levels were low and it was common for people to read pamphlets out loud so that those who couldn’t read could enjoy them as well. This could happen anywhere, from the comfort of your own home to the middle of a crowded alehouse! Read your pamphlet to the person next to you. Do you think it would grab the attention of someone passing by? What could you change about your pamphlet to make it easier to read out loud?

The primary concern for writers in the 17th Century was to have your pamphlet circulate to as many people as possible. If you’re feeling brave, why not make some copies of your pamphlet and see if they can circulate around the school. How many people will your pamphlet reach?

Explore further

Gerrard Winstanley was able to spread his message across England by publishing pamphlets. Explore the impact of the printing press on print culture and how it is relevant to the world today!

read more