The newspaper has always been a privileged form of communication in the United States. Law accords it a seriousness often denied other media, and popular culture endorses its power to expose and enlighten. Why are newspapers seen as instruments of democracy? How do they succeed or fail in their mission? And how does the experience of reading them shape our identity as citizens? This book offers a fresh perspective on the history of newspapers in the United States. Although most scholars think the newspaper works through its content, this history looks deeper into form: ways of writing, systems of organization, and genres of presentation, including typography, space, and pictures. Richly illustrated with archival material, the book traces the changing "look" of the news from the Revolutionary era to the present day. It explores both how we see newspapers and how newspapers imagine us -- as citizens, voters, consumers, and spectators.