Essay On Chicago World's Fair

Commencing in the late nineteenth century, the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair has stood the test of time as a symbolic image of unity for the worlds people. Originally organized to commemorate the four hundredth anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in North America, the exposition also served to host and celebrate the many diverse groups and nations from across the globe. The fair would officially commence on May 1, 1893 and would become at the time the largest fair to have been constructed within the United States. Built in Jackson park, a stretch of land running along Lake Michigan, the exposition proved popular, welcoming over twenty million people during the six months that it operated. However, upon participating in the fair, several

The Polish immigrant community had no homeland government to partake in the events of the fair. However, the Poles in Chicago understood that having polish national representation was both culturally and politically advantageous. As a result, the community organized the World’s Fair Polish-American Reception Committee of America (PARC). In addition, the community alone organized a restaurant, a display in the Fine Arts Palace, as well as a day in their honor. These entries were each created with the ideal that despite not being listed on a map, the Polish nation and culture existed in

Beginning in the 1850’s, Chicago had begun attracting thousands of German immigrants to the city. Upon moving to the city many situated themselves into communities on the city’s North Side, establishing churches, beer halls, and food shops. By the time of the 1893 World’s Exposition, over 500,000 people in the city spoke German with twenty German-language newspapers being in service as well. Effectively, Germans were Chicago’s largest immigration community. Further, Germany rented out a large space to host their presence at the fair, taking 250,000 square feet of exhibition