As a young man, PT Barnum began his career in the performing arts. He was born in Bethel, Connecticut, on July 5, 1810. He founded his own newspaper, The Herald of Freedom, at the age of just 19. He also held jobs as a lottery agent and a store clerk, which allowed him to develop his marketing and promotion skills.
PT Barnum bought a museum in New York City when he was 25 and transformed it into a well-known attraction. He stuffed the museum with oddities and oddities like a mermaid and a 161-year-old woman. Additionally, he incorporated live performances like animal acts and tightrope walkers.
PT Barnum and James Bailey combined their circuses in 1871, when PT Barnum was 61 years old, to form “P.T. Barnum’s Great Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome.” This was the start of the contemporary circus, which featured clowns, acrobatics, and animal performances all in one performance. As “The Greatest Show on Earth,” the circus went on tour throughout North America and Europe.
Regarding the questions that follow, it is thought that the first circus was held in Rome about 200 BC. But in the late 1700s, in England, the modern circus as we know it today was born. The best circus in the UK is a matter of opinion and depends on individual tastes. Zippos Circus, Giffords Circus, and Circus Extreme are a few of the well-known circuses in the UK.
Also, is the circus going extinct? This query has a difficult solution. Animal rights groups have criticized conventional circuses that perform animal acts, and as a result, some nations have banned or severely restricted the use of animals in circuses. A lot of circuses, meanwhile, have adjusted to this shift and now concentrate on human acts like acrobatics and aerial shows. The COVID-19 epidemic has also had an effect on the circus business, resulting in the cancellation or postponement of numerous performances. Overall, despite its difficulties, the circus business is not in decline.
PT Barnum, who founded “The Greatest Show on Earth” at the age of 61, began his work in the entertainment industry at an early age. The late 1700s saw the birth of the modern circus in England, which later shifted its emphasis to human activities. The best circus in the UK and Australia is a matter of opinion and depends on individual tastes. Despite difficulties, the circus business is still alive and well.