This flyer illustrated the Virginia Reaper, a revolutionary new technology for wheat harvesting. The flyer is a broadside, which is a form of an advertisement that is usually printed on one side of a sheet of paper. Often the images used were not as detailed as this one, particularly if due the broadside needed to be reproduced quickly. The intended audience would have been the general population, and everyone was welcome to take one; in fact, this would have been encouraged. It would not have been uncommon for broadsides to be distributed anywhere there was a large gathering of people, including taverns, churches, and town squares. They were a way of communicating something relevant quickly to the public and could convey information related to serious issues, such as government decisions or an upcoming public meeting, promote more lighthearted events, such as a musical concert or other form of entertainment, or advertise a new product.