Broadside

Broadside or Broadsheet, in printing and publishing, a single, large sheet of paper bearing printed matter, usually in a solid block of type. The broadside was first used in the 15th century for royal proclamations, papal indulgences, and similar documents. A century later it began to be used for political propaganda. In England, the broadside was also used for popular ballads, which were sold on city streets by itinerant peddlers. Toward the end of the 18th century, with the increase in newspapers, the broadside gradually was abandoned. In the 19th century in the United States, broadsides were sometimes used for outdoor advertisements. See also Ballad.