1. What was the importance of hosting the World’s air to both Chicago and the United States?
Chicago, during this time, had a moral fabric that was on a steady decline. An abundance of people were moving to the city, a vast majority being single women, and a combustion of violence, crime, and deaths; either by famine, disease, or murder, were a few broad outcomes. Brothels and nightclubs were very alluring to many coming to the city, and one of the social norms for the time being; although social norms were coming and going as quickly as people were dying. Seemingly so, these tragedies were occurring in most every up and coming city in America and there was no end in sight. Even so, Americans still seem to be optimistic during the Gilded Age and the search for order in the New World. As truth would have it, even to most extents in today’s society, newcomers were all but hesitant to join in on the shenanigans, boozing, and crazy lifestyle of the city.
While all of the previously stated, and more, was giving way, the possibility of the World’s Fair being hosted in Chicago was flitting around from person to person; giving the hopes and possibilities to finally start a revolution of change for the better, and the threat of a better economy to many businessmen and investors. Also, what better way was there to redeem the shady and shaky image of the city? This was also a huge opportunity for the United States to shine through all of the turmoil and grime and finally show the world what the New World and freedom were all about. New York City, and a few other cities, were also in the running, amongst a selection of other countries, however, as fate should have it Chicago was selected as the next stomping grounds of the World’s Fair.
Previously the Fair had been held in Paris; being Americans, the goal was to utterly outdo and surpass all of the excitement that happened in Paris and be put in the books as the most amazing experience one could ever dream of experiencing. The coming events, while practically unimaginable, would certainly make the Fair one for the books.
2. How did the event represent the notion of Progress while simultaneously demonstrating a “search for order” by the American people?
Progress is a constant in everyday life, people are continuously looking for ways to exceed and surpass one another while simultaneously striving to exceed their own personal goals. This can be said for the United States as a whole, especially during this time period. Pride is a predominate theme throughout the novel and is especially touched on when Burnham ventures to New York to recruit architects from the “outside”. Burnham wants the fair to be all that it can be and then some, and he is set on having the best of the best to achieve his goals, on the other hand, the architects being recruited are worried that their image may be faulted if they accept the given offeri.
Eventually agreeing, the newfound architects from New York began to put their talent to work. It would be hard for anyone to willingly pass on an opportunity to make further advancements in their careers; making new connections and gaining a sense of fame from ones work was a top goal and priority. The Search for Order consist of many instances such as this, and depicts the drive and mindset of Americans during this time. As long as change was happening in a reasonably organized fashion, or rather seemed to be happening in an organized fashion, most everyone was comfortable with the changes occurring. The World’s Fair was creating many unbelievable opportunities for Americans and the United States; the world would never look upon our great nation the same again, rather we would be seen as a dominant nation at the forefront of progress and innovation of the time. These same strides are still pushing through American ideology and DNA today, and have an unforeseeable end.
3. How did events at the Chicago’s World Fair help to usher in the beginning of globalization