The World's Columbian Exposition was a world fair held in Chicago to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the "New" World. The fair took place on nearly 700 acres on Chicago's Southside and was nicknamed "The White City" after the coloring used to cover the temporary buildings.
Over 27 million people attended the exposition which was dedicated to celebrate the exceptionalism of America. Many topics were explored throughout the exhibits at the fair including architecture, transportation, science, horticulture, art, weapons, music, electricity, new inventions, new foods, and human anthropology.
One of the featured speakers at the fair was Frederick Jackson Turner, a young historian from Wisconsin. He was becoming known/ discussed for his newly proposed "Frontier Thesis". In his thesis he suggested that America was great because of the western frontier. The West had brought civilization to meet directly with the savagery of the wilderness and in this juncture had created a new type of people (Americans) who were unique in their strength, independence, initiative, and rugged, individual spirit. They longer relied on their old, European ways, institutions, and politics, etc. and evolved into a better American...thus forming Democracy and the true spirit of America.
Turner's America included phases that evolved from:
Savages of the Wilderness to...
European Fur Trappers and Traders to...
Homesteaders to...
Development of Cities and Factories to the highest form of civilization...
Democracy and Capitalism.
So civilized that over 400 Native Americans were put on display in what was basically a human zoo.
Talk about full circle...from the savagery of Christopher Columbus to the Savagery of the "Exceptional" Americans.
Needless to say, I do not agree with Turner's thesis.
