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Which cities did Samuel Clemens visit while working as a typesetter in the East?

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While working as an itinerant typesetter in the East between 1853 and 1854, Samuel Clemens visited several major cities to gain experience and broaden his perspective. After leaving Hannibal, Missouri, he worked briefly in St. Louis before traveling to the following cities:1

  • New York City: He worked at a large printing shop and later returned to the city, though he found employment difficult to secure after fires destroyed two publishing houses.1
  • Philadelphia: He traveled here after his initial stint in New York.1
  • Washington, D.C.: He visited the capital as part of his travels through the region.1

During this period, Clemens took in the sights of these cities and read widely, which helped him develop a broader worldview than he had acquired in his rural upbringing.1