The Chicago World’s Fair was simply expected to exhibit American culture; however, it inspired American culture in a more important manner. The fair, also known as the World’s Columbian Exposition, occurred from late spring to early fall in 1893; it celebrated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the New World (Larson 14). Not only was it a celebration of the past, the fair shaped America’s future, including its culture and exceptionalism. The multiple inventions exhibited in the World’s Fair changed the everyday lives of Americans. Ideas from the fair shaped how Americans viewed themselves. Last, important figures of the 1900s who visited the fair helped change American entertainment and culture. Thus, the World’s Fair changed American culture and …show more content…
exceptionalism through new inventions, ideas, and 20th century figures. First, the Chicago World’s Fair exhibited multiple inventions which shaped American culture and exceptionalism. The Ferris Wheel was a popular activity at the fair that displayed the American people’s exceptional perception of themselves. The previous World’s Fair in Paris included a grand structure called the Eiffel Tower (Larson 15). “‘The nation needed an opportunity to top the French, in particular to ‘out-Eiffel Eiffel’” states the author of The Devil in the White City (Larson 15). Americans, viewing themselves as better, wanted to create a feature to challenge and supercede the Eiffel Tower (Larson 155). Thus, Georgia Ferris built the Ferris Wheel, a symbol of American pride and superiority (Larson 185). Next, alternating current, made popular by the fair, revolutionized electricity for the future. The fair had two choices for illuminating the exhibits: the General Electric Company with direct current or the Westinghouse Electric Company with alternating current (Larson 131). DC, direct current, was considered the outstanding choice since “most municipalities utilized local power plants with DC supply” and AC power was considered dangerous (“What’s the Difference Between AC and DC?”). However, the “AC system was inherently cheaper and more efficient,” so the exposition chose Westinghouse Electric Company to light the fair (Larson 131). The fair showed that using large amounts of electricity was safe with AC power, and this led to the “silencing of opponents of alternating current forever” (Carey and Friedman). Because of the increased use of AC current, electricity became efficient enough “to power most day to day electronics” (“What’s the Difference Between AC and DC?”). In summary, both the Ferris Wheel and alternating current, shown at the fair, had monumental effects on American culture and exceptionalism. Second, the ideas from the Columbian Exposition further demonstrate American exceptionalism and culture. First, American patriotism is reflected in the fair even though it exhibited cultures from all around the world. At the fair’s Independence Day celebration, a band played patriotic music, the Ferris Wheel donned red, white, and blue, and people cheered for the giant American flag (Miglio). Moreover, the Chicago Daily Tribune stated, “half-naked Sudanese, long-gowned Arabs, Chinamen and Turks [celebrated] an event they did not understand … as patriotic and loyal in their cheering for all that as the people who were born under the Stars and Stripes” (Miglio). The patriotism of Americans was excessively influential and strong that it encouraged the visitors from other countries to participate. Clearly, this almost over-the-top celebration at the World’s Fair reflects the pride Americans feel towards their country. On the contrary, the fair reflected an unfortunate idea developing during this time: crime. During the 1890s, the time period of the fair, crime rates increased dramatically throughout the nation and especially in Chicago (Larson 12). The number of criminals in state prisons increased by double the rate of the population (Ellwood). For instance, if the population doubled, the number of offenders in prisons would quadruple. Moreover, one man named Holmes created a hotel for the World’s Columbian Exposition and murdered more than nine persons in the hotel before and during the fair (Larson 85; Larson 385). This macabre event along with other crimes people observed while visiting the fair influenced the majority of people to believe that unlawful acts were more common than uncommon. All in all, boastful patriotism and increasing murder rates were the ideas that the World’s Fair demonstrated. Lastly, the Columbian Exposition affected important people of the 20th century.
First of all, Elias Disney worked as a carpenter for the fair and told stories to his son Walt, the creator of the magical Disney World (Larson 153). Chicago World’s Fair and the parks at Disney World have intentional similarities. For example, both the fair and Magic Kingdom included beautiful, connected waterways throughout the area. Also, Epcot’s World Showcase, featuring “authentic displays of world art and culture” is similar to the fair’s Midway Plaisance and its villages (Epcot Guidemap). The culture of America changed dramatically by Walt’s parks and characters because even today, kids dream of visiting Disney World. Second, L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz, visited the fair where “its grandeur informed [his] creation of Oz” (Larson 373). The magic and virtuosity of the fair clearly impacted the novel which includes surreal events, marvelous adventures, and bizarre places (“Wonderful Wizard of Oz”). The writing of Baum caused Americans to fall in love with fantasy and adventure in literature. Therefore, the Chicago World’s Fair molded both Walt Disney and Baum whose work changed American
culture. The Columbian Exposition reflected and influenced American culture and exceptionalism through new inventions, ideas, and 20th century figures. The invention of the Ferris Wheel reflected American pride while alternating current changed everyday life. The fair magnified ideas of patriotism and murder. Lastly, Walt Disney, L. Frank Baum, and their work exhibited World’s Fair influences which, in turn, shaped American culture. The necessity of alternating current, the surge of murder, and the popularity of Disney World all prove that the fair still inspires American culture to this day.
From first impression, Burnham found that Chicago had a murky factorial image lined with a “fantastic stink that lingered in the vicinity of Union Stock yards” (41). The dreadful surface that Chicago was maintaining allowed Burnham to be determined to collaborate and recreate its image. His efforts would also make a reputational comeback for America’s poor representation in the Exposition Universelle (15). One major feature that transformed public opinion of the state was to illuminate the entire fair with clean white buildings that outlined the goodness of the area (252). Eye-catching whiteness contradicted the presumed dirtiness of the town. Making a contradiction from what was assumed of the city would allow the fair to generate a much bigger transformation. The lights also gave the fair a unique, whimsical edge. “The lamps that laced every building and walkway produced the most elaborate demonstration of electric illumination ever attempted”, incorporating new technology in a grand-scale way merely to keep the theme of brightness ongoing throughout each day and night (254). Most importantly, it displayed the town’s potential to become a thriving and respected city. The theme of whiteness interlaced with the neoclassical outline in The World Fair’s de...
Kennedy, David M., et. al. The American Pageant; A History of the American People. 14th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2006.
In 1893 a world fair was held in Chicago Illinois to celebrate the 4thcentenniel of Columbus discovering the Americas. The exposition displayed grand buildings with beautiful architecture, hundreds of exhibits ranging from exotic tribes of Africa, to new inventions, expertly constructed landscape, and astounding attractions such as the first Ferris wheel. The fair lasted for six months and had over 27 million visitors, including ¼ of the American population.
The World’s Fair of 1893 was set to commemorate the 400th year anniversary of Columbus’ voyage to America. When the top leaders in the US heard about the opportunity of hosting the fair, they quickly showed their interest. The main cities that showed interest were New York,...
A basic of Disney theme parks is the Main Street USA zone. This section features highly in all of the parks, usually coming right after the entrance. Key services like Guest Relations are located in this section, inside the "City Hall" (HK Disney Source, 2014). There are a number of elements to the Main Street, USA exhibit, and these will be discussed along with the history of Main Street USA in this paper. In particular, how the different elements of Main Street USA work together are covered. The concept has proven to be long-lasting, even across cultures, because of its magical portrayal of idealized American life, which draws heavily on Walt Disney's own childhood experiences.
You will hardly come upon your first view within the pages of this book without realizing that you have been brought into contact with something altogether new, something new and at variance with the traditions of other days. If you are like most of us, you will wonder if the future is to look like this, and, if it does, what your place is to be in it. Allen D Albert A Century of Progress Exposition Official Book of Views To describe the 1933 Chicago World's Fair in a word, one might choose, "modern" or "dazzling," perhaps even "outrageous." The fair experimented with modern architecture, dazzling electric illumination, and a daring color scheme meant to reflect the scientific content of the fair's exhibits. The fair featured advancements in all fields of science, ranging from the inner-workings of the automobile engine to the most recent theory on the structure of the atom.
The “White City” was a vast collection of architecture and arts that were put on display in the year 1893. The Chicago World Fair, also called the “White City”, was a major event in American history that impacted America’s culture, economic, and industry. The Chicago World Fair was held to honor Columbus’ discovery of the New World. The real reason why it was made was to proudly have back their wealth and power. Larson said, “the tower not only assured the eternal fame of its designer, Alexandre Gustave Eiffel but also offered graphic proof that France had edged out the United States for dominance in the realm of iron and steel…”(15). To accomplish this, architects led by Daniel Burnham and John Root made numerous buildings and beautiful scenery
Before America as a nation and people were formed, many profound events through American history molded the ideology on how we live our everyday lives and was influenced by the successes of history as well as the failures. In the era of 1420 to the 1900’s industry and inventions significantly influenced the creation of America, which brought about easier ways to complete task and the formation of more efficient ways to create a source of income.
Kennedy, David M., et al. The American Pageant: A History of the Republic. 12th ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002. Print.
The World’s Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World’s Fair, was an event celebrating American invention and innovation on the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s discovery of America. The fair was open for six months and was visited by an estimated 27.5 million people. The Fair was a major influence on the spirt invention associated with the Gilded Age, but it was also influenced by the spirit of the time.
In the late 1800's, American society began to burst with cultural activity. After the Civil War and the Reconstruction, Americans were eager to return to their normal lifestyles. The period that followed, however, was quite different from what the country was used to. During the war, many pushed hard for a rise in industry, leading to an explosive industrial revolution far beyond what people had expected. America's business and economy had boomed, and, as the new century approached, many had a new outlook on life. They were eager to escape the dull regiments of both the past Victorian era and the new urban lifestyle. This was easy for the upper and middle classes, both of which were growing due to the rapid increase in industry. It was great news for entrepreneurs and business people of the time, because there was money to be made in this desire for amusement. Of course, this was not the whole story of the new Gilded Age, but it was definitely an era of growing leisure time and the business that came along with it.
Traxel, David. 1898: The Birth of the American Century. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1998. Print.
The 1920s, often referred to as the Roaring Twenties, was a time of great change and a time of powerful enthusiasm in many areas of society. The world had just finished the biggest war in history, the First World War, and the United States was left almost unharmed by the war. The United States was able to experience a decade of peace and success following the war. During this decade, America became the wealthiest country in the world (Trueman, 2000). The people in the United States went through a colorful period during the twenties. However, at the same time the 1920s was also a very rebellious and difficult time for many. The culture of the 1920s has influenced the culture of America’s society today.
"It was not once upon a time, but in a certain time in history, before anyone knew what was happening, Walt Disney cast a spell on the fairy tale. He did not use a magic wand or demonic powers. On the contrary, Disney employed the most up-to-date technological means and used his own American "grit" and ingenuity to appropriate European fairy tales. His technical skills and ideological proclivities were so consummate that his signature obfuscated the names of Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Collodi. If children or adults think of the great classical fairy tales today, be it Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, or Cinderella, they will think Walt Disney. "
The second I stepped foot onto the amusement park’s property, I could feel the magic swirling all around me. As I walked through the crowds of people young and old wearing Disney apparel and Mickey Mouse ears, everything seemed so enchanting: the cheerful music, the twinkly lights on all of the buildings, and the stores that could have been from my favorite Disney movies. Walking along the streets, I took pictures of everything around me because I did not want to forget a single detail; I took pictures of the vibrant yellow, red, and pink flowers that lined the streets, the buildings with intricate details and designs, and the massive roller coasters that glided so swiftly on their tracks. The air was filled with heavenly scents of sweet churros, and I had to get one; it was delectable. Everything at Disneyland seemed perfect and like it was out of a movie. Even as I was about to leave, I got drawn back in; spectacular, bright, colorful fireworks started bursting right over my head, and I could not bring myself to go. My first visit to Disneyland was truly enchanting and magical. At the time I thought no other vacation could