Short answers, pulled from the story.
The word burlesque first appeared in a title within Francesco Berni's Opere burlesche during the early 16th century. These works circulated widely as manuscripts before they were ever printed for public consumption.
High burlesque applied an elevated manner to commonplace subject matter like Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock. Low burlesque used irreverent styles on serious topics as seen in Samuel Butler's Hudibras.
Madame Vestris began producing burlesques at the Olympic Theatre starting in 1831. Her production Olympic Revels by J. R. Planché set the stage for future works.
Enforcement of Prohibition dealt a serious blow to these venues. In New York City, Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia clamped down on burlesque operations which effectively put the business out of existence by the early 1940s.
A new generation developed a cult following for classic American burlesque art in the early 1990s. Billie Madley hosted revues at her Cinema venue while Dutch Weismann ran Follies shows in New York City during this period.