The New York Sun or “The Sun” was first published in September 3, 1833.^[1] It was the first successful penny daily. The Sun aimed its reading content at the working class. Benjamin H. Day was the first publisher of the paper although, Dave Ramsey is credited for the idea of paper.^[2] The penny-paper started in a twelve by sixteen room in the building on 222 William Street.^[3] The paper revolutionized the practice of journalism. The four page paper reported on accounts of local events, police reports, and athletics. In 1834, The Sun had the largest circulation in the United States[1] .^[4] The Sun's readers increased rapidly which can be attributed to the sensationalized stories that were written in the paper. With Charles A. Dana as the part owner and editor in 1868, the paper reached its peak[2] .^[5]

In the 1830s, individuals only had access to six-cent journals that only focused on politics for men and household features for  focused  women.^[6] Therefore, Day created a paper that focused on humanity instead of politics.

Hopper refers to the Sun when accounting for advertisement payments. In the diary, his common account for such expenses was, “Paid for the Sun” and then the amount.

Sources:

Library of Congress Editors, ed. "About The sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916." Library of Congress. Accessed May 5, 2019. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/

     sn83030272/.

O'Brien, Frank M. The story of the Sun. New York, 1833-1918. N.p.: George H.

     Doran Company, n.d. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.32044011477700.

^[1] Library of Congress Editors, ed., "About The sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916," Library of Congress, accessed May 5, 2019, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/.

^[2] Frank M. O'Brien, The story of the Sun. New York, 1833-1918 (n.p.: George H. Doran Company, n.d.), 21, https://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.32044011477700.

^[3] O'Brien, The story, 24.

^[4] Library of Congress Editors, "About The sun.," Library of Congress.

^[5] Library of Congress Editors, "About The sun.," Library of Congress.

^[6] O'Brien, The story, 24.