CUJAH Volume IX

the addition of Washington Park [to the original site at Jackson Park] the total [area of the fair ground] was 1,037 acres – nearly three times the space of any previous expositions.”6 The 1893 fair also held deeper historical national significance than other European fairs: the Chicago fair was also a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ journey to America. Due to delays in construction, the opening of the Fair was six months late and thus happened in 1893 instead of 1892.7 Among the displays related to Columbus was a full scale replica of the La Rabida, a monastery in Spain that he visited before setting out on his expedition.

The nationalist ideology behind the 1893 Chicago fair focused not only on the cultural heritage of the United States, but also on successes of its industry and technology.

The Columbian Exposition thus held the even greater aim of representing, via the narrative of the discovery of America, “the entire progress of human history, with American civilization as its culminating triumph.”8 It also displayed American industry as the future of global business. In this sense, the cutting-edge atmosphere of the exhibits suited Wagner’s theory that the Gesamtkunstwerk represented and revealed the future of art.9 This patriotism extended to the notion that citizens, driven by a genuine, American “desire for self-improvement,”10 wanted to educate and cultivate themselves.

“Education, going hand-in-hand with nationalist propaganda, was a central theme of the fair from its planning stages... to expose America’s own citizens to improving exhibits.”11 The desired refining effect on visitors was not intended to be only knowledge for its own sake, but was perceived as a way to improve moral character and overall societal betterment.

In the fair’s exhibits, “American apostles of culture strenuously labored to inculcate the Victorian virtues of character – moral integrity, self-control, sober earnestness, industriousness – among the citizenry at large.”12 Most nineteenth century Chicagoans were working class, and the majority of 133