How did large congregations of people hear speeches (i.e. Lincoln’s address, and countless other older speeches) without the use of microphones?
In: Technology
Some people have powerful voices, and politicians and orators would practice and take lessons to speak in a way to be heard by crowds. Benjamin Franklin did an experiment in which he kept backing away from a preacher addressing an outdoor gathering. When he got as far away as he could, and still hear the speaker, he calculated how many people could stand in a circle that big. It turned out a speaker could address a crowd of 5000 or more without amplification.
There are early recordings of singers and orators who were used to theaters and auditoriums without amplification, you can hear that they are belting it out in a way you don’t hear anymore.
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