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57-423: The circle of writers who contributed to the magazine and populated its cultural milieu are often known as the "Knickerbocker writers" or the " Knickerbocker Group ". The group included such authors as William Cullen Bryant , Henry Wadsworth Longfellow , Oliver Wendell Holmes , James Russell Lowell and many others. The Knickerbocker was devoted to the fine arts in particular with occasional news, editorials and

114-528: A best man. A resulting video clip of Chloe and Keith's Wedding was uploaded to YouTube and was viewed by over 30 million people and the couple was interviewed by numerous talk shows. Viewers were deluded into thinking that it was an authentic clip of a real accident at a real wedding; but a story in USA Today in 2009 revealed it was a hoax. Governments sometimes spread false information to facilitate their objectives, such as going to war. These often come under

171-425: A discreditable mistake I will even take it as it came and add the 'O' to the end of time." The Knickerbocker was devoted to the fine arts in particular with occasional news and editorials. Full-length biographical sketches were also printed on such artists as Gilbert Stuart , Hiram Powers , Horatio Greenough , and Frederick Styles Agate . According to environmental historian, Roderick Nash , The Knickerbocker

228-470: A few full-length biographical sketches. The magazine was one of the earliest literary vehicles for communication about the United States' "vanishing wilderness." As such, The Knickerbocker may be considered one of the earliest proto-environmental magazines in the United States. Charles Fenno Hoffman was the founding editor of The Knickerbocker in 1833, though he helmed only three issues. Hoffman turned

285-417: A fictional story can be communicated: in person, via word of mouth , via words printed on paper, and so on. As communications technology has advanced, the speed at which hoaxes spread has also advanced: a rumour about a ghostly drummer, spread by word of mouth, will affect a relatively small area at first, then grow gradually. However, hoaxes could also be spread via chain letters , which became easier as

342-484: A short period beginning in 1862, owned and edited the magazine. He later had been associated with the poet, Nathaniel Parker Willis (1806–1867), as associate editor of the New York Home Journal from September 1854, until Willis' death, then became chief editor and sole proprietor. In America, Phillips became known as "the father of society news." The magazine was published under various titles, including: At

399-520: A year and would stay on staff until 1841. Irving disliked magazine work, specifically because of its monthly deadlines and space constraints. However, in his " Geoffrey Crayon " persona, he justified his choice in his debut issue: "I am tired... of writing volumes... there is too much preparation, arrangement, and parade... I have thought, therefore, of securing to myself a snug corner in some periodical work, where I might, as it were, loll at my ease in my elbow chair." The circle of writers who contributed to

456-568: A “profound influence on American Romanticism.” In the early nineteenth century, the Romantic literature industry was expanding due to developments in Antebellum literary culture caused by increases in production, distribution, and consumption of books and periodicals. The Knickerbocker group, led by Washington Irving was influential in transforming this industry into a profitable one by championing competitive free market ideas. A unique satirical style

513-459: Is a news report containing facts that are either inaccurate or false but which are presented as genuine. A hoax news report conveys a half-truth used deliberately to mislead the public. Hoax may serve the goal of propaganda or disinformation – using social media to drive web traffic and amplify their effect. Unlike news satire , fake news websites seek to mislead, rather than entertain, readers for financial or political gain. Hoax news

570-460: Is disputed. Robert Nares defined the word hoax as meaning "to cheat", dating from Thomas Ady 's 1656 book A candle in the dark, or a treatise on the nature of witches and witchcraft . The term hoax is occasionally used in reference to urban legends and rumours, but the folklorist Jan Harold Brunvand argues that most of them lack evidence of deliberate creations of falsehood and are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes, so

627-464: Is not necessarily clear. Alex Boese, the creator of the Museum of Hoaxes , states that the only distinction between them is the reaction of the public, because a fraud can be classified as a hoax when its method of acquiring financial gain creates a broad public impact or captures the imagination of the masses. One of the earliest recorded media hoaxes is a fake almanac published by Jonathan Swift under

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684-406: Is often intended as a practical joke or to cause embarrassment, or to provoke social or political change by raising people's awareness of something. It can also emerge from a marketing or advertising purpose. For example, to market a romantic comedy film, a director staged a phony "incident" during a supposed wedding, which showed a bride and preacher getting knocked into a pool by a clumsy fall from

741-514: Is studied. Members of the group were close friends with other artists which fostered professional collaboration between this writing group and their artistic friends. William Cullen Bryant was close friends with artists Thomas Cole and Asher Brown Durand . They often featured and praised artists across their works including in magazines, travel books and novels. The group reviewed painting and sculptural gallery exhibits in their magazine, The Knickerbocker. The group used essays featuring references to

798-1071: Is the first novel attributed to the Knickerbocker group. The full original title of this novel was A History of New-York, from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty; Containing, among Many Surprising and Curious Matters, the Unutterable Ponderings of Walter the Doubter, the Disastrous Projects of William the Testy, and the Chivalric Achievements of Peter the Headstrong—The Three Dutch Governors of New Amsterdam: Being

855-471: Is widely believed to have been the first ichnological poem . Eric Kaufman, a professor of politics commented in his paper on "American Naturalistic Nationalism" that the "naturalistic aesthetic first took root among writers in New England and New York. These intellectuals, connected by New York literary periodicals like Knickerbocker Magazine ... responded in several ways to the new naturalistic sensibility"

912-485: The Dihydrogen monoxide hoax . Political hoaxes are sometimes motivated by the desire to ridicule or besmirch opposing politicians or political institutions , often before elections. A hoax differs from a magic trick or from fiction (books, film, theatre, radio, television, etc.) in that the audience is unaware of being deceived, whereas in watching a magician perform an illusion the audience expects to be tricked. A hoax

969-559: The University of Nevada, Reno , some hoaxes – such as the Great Stock Exchange Fraud of 1814 , labelled as a hoax by contemporary commentators – are financial in nature, and successful hoaxers – such as P. T. Barnum , whose Fiji mermaid contributed to his wealth – often acquire monetary gain or fame through their fabrications, so the distinction between hoax and fraud

1026-521: The "pioneer of American literary Romanticism." The group's penchant was writing heroic or epic stories in a sophisticated manner. They especially utilized parody , satire and romanticism . The Knickerbocker Group lived in New York City . The short story The Black Vampyre has been viewed as a commentary on the Knickerbocker group, condemning them to be "vampires" that benefit on the behalf of others. The work criticizes plagiarism and authorship in

1083-400: The Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty was very successful, in both America and Britain, and established Irving as a prominent writer of the time. Its satirical nature makes the novel controversial and it has received a mixture of praise and criticism since its publication. At the time American reviewers praised the “humorous History of New York by Knickerbocker” and said that

1140-551: The Knickerbocker group established its group members as literary personalities in New York. In its origins, the Knickerbocker group has also been associated with the names “The Lads of Kilkenny”, (or the lads) “The Ancient Club of New York", and “The Nine Worthies.” These aliases are references to the group's artistic identity, the Bachelor aesthetic, which was considered an essential aspect of their writing style. The Knickerbocker group

1197-430: The Knickerbocker group for profit, in an attempt to boost their struggling careers by their association with Washington Irving.   The Knickerbocker group were also linked to launching the careers of other successful writers at the time, like Herman Melville . Hoax A hoax (plural: hoaxes ) is a widely publicised falsehood created to deceive its audience with false and often astonishing information, with

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1254-568: The Only Authentic History of the Times that Ever Hath Been or Ever Will Be Published. The novel is a satirical parody of the history of New York from mock historian Deirdrich Knickerbocker (Irving). Bradley argues that Irving’s agenda in this novel is to “reclaim New York City and all New Yorkers for Holland” through revealing “the Dutch origins of a variety of “authentic” New York features.” The novel

1311-487: The cost of mailing a letter dropped. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century brought down the cost of a mass-produced books and pamphlets, and the rotary printing press of the 19th century reduced the price even further (see yellow journalism ). During the 20th century, the hoax found a mass market in the form of supermarket tabloids , and by the 21st century there were fake news websites which spread hoaxes via social networking websites (in addition to

1368-533: The early 1800s, the Reverend Edward Hitchcock came across a set of what appeared to him to be giant bird tracks. These later turned out to be reptile tracks , however they nonetheless inspired him to write a poem entitled "The Sandstone Bird" involving the reanimation of a great sandstone bird by a female mystic. Later published in The Knickerbocker by Hitchcock, under the pseudonym Poetaster, this

1425-497: The early nineteenth century is attributed to the Knickerbocker group. A common feature of Knickerbocker writings is an American setting, which allowed their audiences to engage in American history and culture. The writings of Knickerbocker members reached wide-ranging audiences. For example, guidebooks (published as early as 1825) contained passages taken directly, or inspired by Knickerbocker member’s writings. The Knickerbocker group

1482-587: The early-19th-century literary scene. In 1807, Washington Irving, his brother William Irving, and James Kirke Paulding were all involved in the publication of the Salmagundi (periodical) papers which were satirical essays centered on gossip. Aside from the Irvings and Paulding, the initial members of the group consisted of, but were not limited to, Fitz-Greene Halleck, Gulian Verplanck, James Fenimore Cooper, William Cullen Bryant and Joseph Rodman Drake. Membership into

1539-418: The either malicious or humorous intent of causing shock and interest in as many people as possible. Some hoaxers intend to eventually unmask their representations as having been a hoax so as to expose their victims as fools; seeking some form of profit, other hoaxers hope to maintain the hoax indefinitely, so that it is only when skeptical people willing to investigate their claims publish their findings, that

1596-559: The financial success of the group. Washington Irving was also concerned with the copyright status of his works. He sent letters to British journals that reprinted his writings without consent or remuneration and hired legal counsel to protect his work in America. Their position as a writing group aided their success, as they enjoyed economic advantages that came with their group affiliation. Specifically James Fenimore Cooper and James Kirke Paulding were noted to capitalise on their affiliation with

1653-426: The group as there were numerous rotating members across the period the group was active. The Knickerbocker name expanded from only being considered a writing group to being seen as a literary movement, based in satire. Irving’s first novel A History of New York, From the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty was published in 1809, when he was twenty-six, under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker and

1710-451: The group include Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Russell Lowell, Bayard Taylor , George William Curtis , Richard Henry Stoddard , Elizabeth Clementine Stedman , John Greenleaf Whittier , Horace Greeley , James Fenimore Cooper , Fitz Hugh Ludlow and Frederick Swartwout Cozzens . The Knickerbocker was one of the earliest publications of its type to pay its contributing writers. Morris Phillips (1834–1904), for

1767-552: The heading of black propaganda. There is often a mixture of outright hoax and suppression and management of information to give the desired impression. In wartime and times of international tension rumours abound, some of which may be deliberate hoaxes. Examples of politics-related hoaxes: Psychologist Peter Hancock has identified six steps which characterise a truly successful hoax: Hoaxes vary widely in their processes of creation, propagation, and entrenchment over time. Examples include: Hoax news (also referred to as fake news )

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1824-543: The hoaxers are finally revealed as such. Zhang Yingyu's The Book of Swindles ( c. 1617), published during the late Ming dynasty , is said to be China's first collection of stories about fraud, swindles, hoaxes, and other forms of deception. Although practical jokes have likely existed for thousands of years, one of the earliest recorded hoaxes in Western history was the drummer of Tedworth in 1661. The communication of hoaxes can be accomplished in almost any manner that

1881-420: The influence of which can be seen in many of their published works. Some famous works first published in The Knickerbocker that have influenced environmental thought include: Knickerbocker Group The Knickerbocker Group was a somewhat indistinct group of 19th-century American writers. Its most prominent members included Washington Irving , James Fenimore Cooper and William Cullen Bryant . Each

1938-474: The magazine and populated its cultural milieu are often known as the "Knickerbocker writers" or the "Knickerbocker Group". The group included such authors as Washington Irving , William Cullen Bryant, James Kirke Paulding , Gulian Crommelin Verplanck , Fitz-Greene Halleck , Joseph Rodman Drake , Robert Charles Sands , Lydia M. Child , Nathaniel Parker Willis , and Epes Sargent . Other writers associated with

1995-453: The magazine over to Timothy Flint, who changed the original name The Knickerbacker to The Knickerbocker. Flint then sold the magazine to Lewis Gaylord Clark , who bought it in April 1834 and served as editor until 1861. By 1840, The Knickerbocker was the most influential literary publication of its time. The year before, Washington Irving had reluctantly joined the staff at a salary of $ 2,000

2052-442: The political and cultural tensions of the time. Dowling says that a key aim of the Knickerbocker works was “undoing the dominant unsympathetic cultural image of bachelorhood to emphasise a communal, collaborative identity” through dismantling the notion that “the bachelor [was] politically subversive.” Dowling suggests that “a distinctive characteristic of the knickerbocker identity is a juvenile playfulness”. The Knickerbocker image

2109-526: The pseudonym of Isaac Bickerstaff in 1708. Swift predicted the death of John Partridge , one of the leading astrologers in England at that time, in the almanac and later issued an elegy on the day Partridge was supposed to have died. Partridge's reputation was damaged as a result and his astrological almanac was not published for the next six years. It is possible to perpetrate a hoax by making only true statements using unfamiliar wording or context, such as in

2166-447: The release of his book though, Irving placed a series of missing person adverts in New York newspapers concerning Diedrich Knickerbocker, convincing the public that he was a legitimate historian. However, though people soon realized it was a hoax , Diedrich Knickerbocker became a much-loved character and legend for those of the city of New York. He is also the namesake of the New York basketball team, The Knicks . Knickerbacker Magazine

2223-629: The satirical novel warranted “public support” and “much applause by all classes of men.” This work is not taken seriously by some of Irving’s historian contemporaries, like William Hedges who says “the book may contain a great deal of fact but to call it history is simply to abuse the word.” Irving’s work was criticised for not being “timeless, but temporal” by Spiller and by Gilmore for belonging “to an outdated phase of culture.” Irving’s out of date historiographical techniques are critiqued by Warner who believes he engaged in an “anti-historical rhetoric of anachronism.” This criticism of Irving’s writings

2280-443: The term should be used for only those with a probable conscious attempt to deceive. As for the closely related terms practical joke and prank , Brunvand states that although there are instances where they overlap, hoax tends to indicate "relatively complex and large-scale fabrications" and includes deceptions that go beyond the merely playful and "cause material loss or harm to the victim." According to Professor Lynda Walsh of

2337-436: The time, "Knickerbocker" was a term for Manhattan's aristocracy. Knickerbocker was also an imaginary personage created by Washington Irving to promote his new book at the time, A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty. The work was a satire of both history books and the politics of the time. Irving published the work in 1809 under the pseudonym " Diedrich Knickerbocker ." Prior to

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2394-415: The use of email for a modern type of chain letter ). The English philologist Robert Nares (1753–1829) says that the word hoax was coined in the late 18th century as a contraction of the verb hocus , which means "to cheat", "to impose upon" or (according to Merriam-Webster ) "to befuddle often with drugged liquor." Hocus is a shortening of the magic incantation hocus pocus , whose origin

2451-464: The works of visual artists in order to influence their audiences to consume other facets of art. Art also influenced Knickerbocker member’s writings. Knickerbocker group members used figures of speech based on visual arts in their writings. In turn the works of Knickerbocker members were seen to inspire other artistic work. The growing recognition and appreciation of natural landscape, architecture, historic sites, and historic preservation in America in

2508-463: The writings and other works of the group members share similar satirical stylistic qualities. The Knickerbocker group mimicked the style of eighteenth century humour in their writing and engaged in political satire . They challenged orthodoxies at the time. The group were also aligned with literary Romanticism , which was a style emerging in Britain at the time. The Knickerbocker group is seen to have had

2565-470: Was a pioneer in general literature— novels , poetry and journalism . Humorously titled after Irving's own pen name , many others later joined the club. These include James Kirke Paulding , Fitz-Greene Halleck , Joseph Rodman Drake , Robert Charles Sands , Lydia Maria Child , Gulian Crommelin Verplanck , and Nathaniel Parker Willis , most of whom were also frequent contributors to the literary magazine The Knickerbocker . The Knickerbocker group

2622-420: Was also a critique of Irving’s historian contemporaries and historiography of the time, specifically the idea that there could be absolute historical knowledge. The novel also criticises the political situation of America at the time, specifically the theory of Jeffersonianism . The genre of the book is a mix of history and fiction which has caused it to be criticised by historians. A History of New York, From

2679-405: Was also tied to American irreverence and individualism reflected in the free agency of bachelorhood. The focus on the Bachelor identity in the Knickerbocker group is meant to be satire mocking the fraternal English order. The Knickerbocker group influenced other artistic scenes in America in the nineteenth century. The group has been noted to have had a large contribution to how modern American art

2736-417: Was apparent at the time. In 1825, William Hazlitt asserted that Irving’s writings were “literary anachronisms” Robert Ferguson describes the novel as “an attempt to annihilate the history of America”. Irving’s work is also criticised for escaping “into legend in order to avoid history” through his reliance on “literary parody, strange characters and legends” instead of favouring historical accuracy. This novel

2793-477: Was considered by Perry Miller to be “the most influential literary organ in America” by 1840 under its editor Lewis Gaylord Clark. The magazine focused on fine arts but also included news, sketches, and editorials. Together the Knickerbocker group created many pieces of work including novels, short stories, essays, reviews, poetry, prose, and plays. It is difficult to distinguish how many works can be attributed to

2850-476: Was distinct to the Knickerbockers. Burstein says that all Knickerbocker writers had the same “edge” through “a mixture of sentiment and irony” which was distinctive at the time The group often wrote in the gothic style. The identity of the Knickerbocker group was tied with the bachelor aesthetic. Within Knickerbocker writings the Bachelor aesthetic used metaphors of family and kinship as a means of explaining

2907-480: Was established by Washington Irving in the early 19th century in New York City. Irving was one of the first Americans to earn money from being a professional writer. Irving was seen as a writing pioneer by Gilmore who said that he was "an innovator who established American writing on a new footing as a viable profession." Irving has been "hailed as the father of American literature" and Bradbury considers him to be

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2964-417: Was named after Irving’s pen name Diedrich Knickerbocker, which was the pseudonym he used to write works such as A History of New York, From the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty (1809). The Knickerbocker magazine was a subsidiary of the group founded in 1833 by Charles Fenno Hoffman and was contributed to by many Knickerbocker group members across the early to mid 19th century. The magazine

3021-414: Was one of the earliest literary vehicles for communication about the United States' "vanishing wilderness", including serialized articles by Thomas Cole and Francis Parkman Jr. As such, The Knickerbocker may be considered one of the earliest proto-environmental magazines in the United States. The Knickerbocker printed the earliest-known reference to the joke " Why did the chicken cross the road? " In

3078-437: Was one of the first influential writing groups in America. Literary circles, like the Knickerbocker group, became a way for groups of writers to ensure their success in the market as they were tied to other successful authors. Knickerbocker writers were tied to the established success of their figurehead, Washington Irving by imitating his style of political humour and writing in the genre of the literary sketch. Washington Irving

3135-418: Was seen to be a “commodity” in the literary market and he used his name to promote his other colleagues' works. One of the aims of the Knickerbocker group was financial success and it is argued that they focused on balancing their artistic goals with their “capitalist desire.” Washington Irving was said to be focused on how the Knickerbocker group was perceived in literary circles, and to the public, to maximise

3192-411: Was seen to inspire other similar works of historical fiction which became popular in the 1840s. Some of the subsequent notable works attributed to Washington Irving (under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker) include: The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. (1819-1820) Rip Van Winkle (1819) The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820) The Knickerbocker group is considered to be indistinct, however

3249-688: Was started in January 1833 with its first issue containing a supposed conversation with Diedrich Knickerbocker. In the interview he “readily forgave the liberty taken with his name in consideration of our having restored it to its ancient spelling.” This refers to the change from Knickerbocker to Knickerbacker . However, the second issue was published with the title changed to Knickerbocker including another conversation with Diedrich Knickerbocker in which he says "I wish thee to restore my name to its original spelling as it stands in my celebrated History; so as fortune has given immortal glory to what some would consider

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