In the 1840s, advancements in engraving technology allowed for cheaper mass printing. With mass printing decreasing in price, it became possible for more things to be printed. This resulted in journals and magazines gaining popularity. 

Punch (established in 1841) was a satirical magazine that specialized in satirical drawings that were accompanied by texts. The drawings in Punch were later classified as cartoons, and Punch prided itself as a cartoon-heavy satirical magazine. Around the same time, an illustrator under the name of Frank Leslie was starting to gain an interest in the satirical cartoon magazines that had popped up in England. In 1848, Leslie made his way to the United States. He worked for Gleason Pictorial in Boston, where he made many improvements to their printing processes. In 1853, Leslie moved to New York City, where he worked for P.T. Barnum’s Illustrated News. The paper was short-lived, which caused Leslie to create his own newspaper. Leslie created many different variations of the newspaper, some including Frank Leslie’s Budget of Fun and The Jolly Joker (Leslie’s Weekly), The Boy's and Girl's Weekly, and Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper was his longest running newspaper, lasting until 1922, making the total print run of the newspaper an amazing 67 years. During his time in the newspaper business, Leslie is credited for the creation of the engraving assembly line, which allowed for a faster printing process. 

             In 1856, illustrator Thomas Nast began drawing for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly. At 15 years old, Nast created illustrations for a plethora of newspapers, but his distinct themes and drawing style remained consistent throughout. Nast was especially known for his Civil War cartoons. In the 1860s, both of his works “Santa Claus in Camp” and "Compromise with the South” were used as Civil War propaganda, created with the goal of recruiting people to fight in the war. In the late 1800s, magazines continued to grow as a way of spreading news and information. Puck, a German Language magazine, arrived in St. Louis in 1876, and moved to New York City sometime before 1877. As a rival to Puck, Judge magazine was founded in New York City in 1881. Life magazine was founded in New York City in 1883. Life magazine was known for its lighthearted vaudeville style illustrations, mostly formatted as a single illustration, often accompanied by a caption. Puck is known as the first successful humor magazine in America. The magazine was founded by Joseph Keppler, who had worked for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly before starting his own magazine ventures. Puck, similar to many other magazines and publications of the time, included racist, anti-semetic, and anti-irish cartoons when viewed and inspected through a contemporary lens. 

             During the civil war, before Puck was founded, a young man named Joseph Pulitzer was looking to enlist in an army. After being rejected by the Austrian, French, and British armed forces, Pulitzer ended up in Boston, and shortly after was sent to New York City. He enlisted in the United States military, fighting for the Union side. After the war, he left New York City and moved to St. Louis, and became close friends with Joseph Keppler. Pulitzer tried to buy Puck, however, his offer was rejected by Keppler. Shortly after, Pulitzer left Keppler and Puck behind. In 1878, Pulitzer purchased the St. Louis Dispatch and merged it with the St. Louis Post, creating the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Pulitzer grew the newspaper in terms of both page number and circulation amount. In 1880, Pulitzer began to seek opportunities outside of St. Louis. In 1883, Pulitzer set off to New York City, with hopes to purchase the New York World from Jay Gould. The two deliberated the price of the newspaper, and soon, Pulitzer purchased the New York World from Gould for $346,000 ($10 Million in today’s economy). 

In 1885, Pulitzer expanded to include a Sunday paper, a huge change within the newspaper market. Before 1841, no papers ran on Sunday out of respect for the Sabbath. The choice of running a Sunday paper greatly benefited the New York World and Pulitzer. By emphasizing stories and utilizing marketing techniques, Pulitzer grew the New York World from a circulation of 15,000 copies to 600,000 copies during his reign, making it the largest newspaper in the world during the time.