Understanding: Zoetrope

The Zoetrope is a device similar to a Phenakistoscope, in the sense that they both contain looped sequential images, and when the device is spun it creates an illusion of movement. It was invented in 1834 by William George Horner.

The difference between the two devices, is that the Zoetrope isn't flat, and is actually round in shape. The cylinder has slits cut vertically into it, and on the inside of the cylinder is a band of sequential images. This cylinder would be sat on a base so it could be spun around, and whilst it is spinning, the user can look through the slits at the pictures directly across. Similarly to the Phenakistoscope, the constant scanning of the slits would stop the images from blending into one another, to give the illusion of one moving image.
Due to the design of the Zoetrope, it meant that it was much more practical than the Phenakistoscope. The way it was designed also allowed for more than one person to view it at a time.