The Impact Of The Columbian Exposition

A World’s Fair is an “[I]nternational exposition that features exhibits dealing with commerce, industry, and science.” (World Book Encyclopedia 412) Entertainment is also present along with cultural activities. In 1893, the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, although inaugurated a year late, commemorated the discovery of America. I feel that the Exposition displayed some of the more beautiful architecture of its time; its immense buildings and sculptures drew heavily from Greek and other classical styles, and it could possible be because of the sweeping popularity in Beaux Arts architecture.

The 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, more formally known as the Columbian Exposition, was a fair constructed to celebrate Columbus’ arrival in the New World. Chicago was known as the White City, but did not appear as pure and spotless as its name suggested. For instance, there were many ways one could get killed. “Fire took a dozen lives a day...There was diphtheria, typhus, cholera, influenza. And there was murder.” (Larson 12). These unstoppable causes of death was one of the reasons Chicago’s reputation was tarnished. Furthermore, the Panic of 1893 struck and greatly affected the city of Chicago. The Panic’s effects included “financial crises”, “bankruptcy”, and “high rates of unemployment and homelessness”. (Panic of 1893). Because of the city’s economic depression, the fair would decide whether Chicago’s circumstances would improve or deteriorate. Eventually, the 1893 Chicago’s World Fair displayed what America would soon become in an industrial, military, and economic perspective.

The main focal point of Erik Larson’s Devil in the White City is centered around the excitement, murders, and magic of the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. In 1890, Chicago was becoming a very populated and anxious city of America. The city itself wanted something to prove to the more traditional eastern cities of the United States. Driven by its massive civic pride, Chicago joined in the election against New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. to be considered where the placement of the next World’s Fair would be located. Paris, France hosted the previous World’s Fair and left the world astonished with its architectural achievements with the Eiffel tower. Civic leaders in the opposing cities ultimately agreed to place the Fair in Chicago.

Given the nickname the "White City" because of its elegant and pristine buildings, the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 was one of the most powerful events in American history. There were long lasting impacts on American culture, economy, and technology- the fair brought new advancements in virtually every aspect of daily life. It was held “to commemorate Columbus’s discovery of the New World” (Larson 15). The fair was a symbol of the expertise America possessed, but simultaneously highlighted the hardships that surrounded it. The fair increased wages, marketed more products for public use, and produced architectural feats that challenged the ones that stood at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. There was much more to the fair behind the showstopping displays that it created. Behind the exotic Algerian belly dancers and astonishing replicas of famous cities, the corporate world was establishing its dominance. Labor unions struggled to fight for fair wages and working time. Although disturbances and disagreements in the construction of the fair foreshadowed a negative ending, breakthroughs such as white lead paint and the Ferris Wheel attracted many visitors. The Chicago World's Fair of 1893 is a vivid exhibit of the independent cultural, economical, and technological superpower that America would grow to become in the future.

The Columbian World’s Exposition of 1893 marked an important time in American history. The overall fame of the World’s Columbian Exposition, or also known as the Chicago World’s Fair, is in large part due to the spread of ideas and inventions that originated at the fair itself. The novel, The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, depicts a clear portrait of the fair’s impact in the time leading up to, during, and after the exposition. The fair established itself as a metaphorical historical monument, in the way that it honored the past and served as a memorial to Columbus, and the way that it impacted future societies and events. The fair began as a show of superiority on part of American society, over all other countries, like France or England. Regarding competition, the fair sought to “Out-Eiffel” Gustave Eiffel, architect of the Eiffel Tower, for architecture, and to outclass the rest of the world in all other fields. The fair also served to foreshadow the growing powers of America both intellectually and militarily; the spirit and ideas shown at the fair showed the emergence of intellectual superiority that would only serve as a sample of the achievements of society that were yet to come. The intellectual productions of the fair can be attributed to the architectural firm coordinating the event, Burnham and Root. The firm was headed by Daniel Burnham and John Root, both accredited as the brightest in their field. Under their management, the Chicago World’s Fair

     Although the Chicago World’s fair of 1893 only lasted 6 months, it had an enormous impact on the city of Chicago, its people, and indeed the entire country. Up until that point in its history, the US had done nothing on the scale of the world’s fair, and was regarded as a country of barbarians and cowboys by

The thought of Chicago hosting the world’s fair would be daunting at first, but it could turn around the reputation of Chicago from one of a city of gloom and darkness, to one of a city of light and progress from the Great Chicago fire of 1871, and that city would be fascinating for years to come. Chicago would get an economic shot in the arm from the revenue that it would get from hosting the 1893 World Fair and it would make Chicago into a great city of America. The event and also the transformation that would happen to the city of Chicago would not have happened if it would not be for one great man who had taken up the challenge to make sure to host this 1893 World fair.

Although the Chicago World's fair of 1893 only lasted 6 months, I had an enormous impact on the city of Chicago, its people, and indeed the entire country. Up until that point in its history, the US had done nothing on the scale of the world's fair, and was regarded as a country of barbarians and cowboys by much of the world, especially Old Europe. The fair

The Great Fair of 1893 was held as a major achievement for its time. Huge buildings, impossible feats of engineering, a mixing of cultures, and the use of many new technologies were major aspects of its success. However, even though the builders of the fair worked against impossible odds, they required a leader, a figurehead to lead the way to success. In his book, The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, Erik Larson’s portrays Burnham’s obsession with grandeur as a key part of his persona to emphasize why he was the right man for the job.

- A political and economic policy adapted by most European monarchs. A mercantile system exist when the government controlled all economic activities to strengthen national power.

The Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 was one of the most memorable and historical moments in American history other than the Civil War. However, some people do not know what went on during the fair. They only think that people came together and the Ferris wheel that was there, now in Navy Pier, debut there. The Chicago World's Fair of 1893 may be a memorable event. But the majority of Americans don't know how extraordinary it was.

“Open ye gates! Swing wide ye portals! Enter herein ye sons of man! Learn the lesson here taught and gather from it inspiration for still greater accomplishments!” Spoken by David Francis Rowland, this declaration was heard in countries thousands of miles away, beckoning the brightest minds and the newest innovations from across the world to come to St. Louis for the 1904 World’s Fair. The fair brought together forty-three of the (then) forty-five states, as well as fifty foreign countries, to showcase the most recent advances in technology, foreign policy, the arts, and more that had been made since the Louisiana Purchase one hundred years ago. From the time of the Fair’s announcement to its closure in December of 1904, the “Gateway to the

The late 19th century, the Gilded Age, was seen as a prosperous and golden era for America. Yet, underneath the gilded landscape, lay a foundation of corruption and violence. Europe saw America as a wealthy nation lacking elegance and grace (PBS). However, the close of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century would play host to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair (The Fair) or otherwise known as, The Columbian Exposition. The Fair would prove the Europeans wrong; the World’s Fair would define America as a country rich in innovation and culture. The Exposition utilized burgeoning technology, business ventures and societal reforms to create an utopia that would captivate and influence the world for six months. Thus, to a larger extent,

In 1893, The World's Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World and to show how America has grown and progressed since then. In conjunction with the world fair, was the Parliament of the World Religions, an event displaying non-Christian religions and where they were able to speak on behalf of their own religion. However, even though the world fair was hosted on a total of 690 acres of land, not a single one of those acres were dedicated to Native American Religion besides a teepee set up at the entrance and the noble savage. In the text of the world fair the “Classification of the World's Columbian Exposition", Native Americans weren’t even recognized as having

In one time, William McKinley manifested “Expositions are the timekeepers of progress,” inspiring America that the workflow will be presented graciously. Reaching to the years of massive expansions, America had grown tremendously with goods and services. During the late 1890s, President McKinley urged Americans to transformed America into the greatest powerful nation in the whole world. In preparing for a strong nation, the Spanish-American War had enclosed their attainments due to tensions between Spain and United States. American had its victories and forwarded the Treaty of Paris which had control over several foreign countries. After the war, United States focused on up warding their nation. America’s progression of new