The First Worlds Fair and How It Shaped a World of Innovation
While there are many ways for the great minds of society to introduce their inventions to the world, attending a Worlds Fair is one of the most exciting. A Worlds Fair is essentially an exhibition put on by a host country where all nations are invited to showcase their greatest feats of technology and works of art. Worlds Fairs are often large-scale events that take place over the course of roughly six months and see millions of visitors from around the globe.The Origins of the Worlds FairThe Crystal Palace in Hyde Park for Grand International Exhibition of 1851, Read & Co. Engravers and Printers, 1851. Source: Wikimedia CommonsThe very first Worlds Fair was held in 1851 in London. It was dreamt up by the Royal Society of Arts and commissioned by Prince Albert. The event would not only showcase Englands strength but also cultivate positive connections between many nations as the Industrial Revolution emerged across the globe. With the dawn of industrialization, uncertainty was gripping many countries as they did not know what the future held for their cultural development. The First Worlds Fair drew inspiration from other international expos and served to familiarize the world with technological and scientific advancements in a celebratory light to help individuals embrace innovation.The 1851 Worlds Fair in London became known as The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations. In order to accommodate every presenting country and visitors from throughout the world, the construction of a brand-new exhibition building was necessary. A massive iron and glass structure was designed by Joseph Paxton and was built on the Great Exhibition site in Hyde Park over a five-month period. The building was dubbed the Crystal Palace and the construction itself contributed to showcasing Englands advancements.The inventions and cultural marvels of 25 countries were displayed from May to October of 1851. The most notable exhibits included the centerpiece fountain that stood 27 feet tall and was made up of pink glass; several pavilions that were modeled after streets in other countries to introduce the world to new cultures; the largest diamond in the world, otherwise known as the Koh-I-Noor; an American sculptors Greek Slave statue that stood on a revolving pedestal; many novelty creations like stuffed animals; and machinery that made farming and transportation more efficient.The First Worlds Fair in AmericaPhiladelphia, 1876: Chromatic View. Source: Library of CongressThe success of Londons Great Exhibition inspired further Worlds Fair events throughout the globe. The first Worlds Fair to be hosted on American soil was held in 1876 in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Worlds Fair became known as the Centennial Exhibition and celebrated the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.The formation of the idea for Americas first Worlds Fair began six years before the event took place when a bill was introduced to Congress in 1870 for the provision of a national centennial celebration. The bill was passed one year later and established that the centennial celebration would be hosted in the form of the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufacturers, and Products of the Soil and Mine. Along with celebrating the formation of the United States, the Centennial Exhibition showcased how far America and the world had come since the Revolutionary War. The bill also established a United States Centennial Commission to oversee the planning and preparations for the event.The Centennial Exhibition was held on a 258-acre plot of land at Fairmount Park and boasted five main exhibition buildings that were surrounded by over 200 smaller individual exhibit structures. This layout was a change from previous Worlds Fairs having one main exhibition building and many temporary outdoor structures. The most notable inventions showcased at the Centennial Exhibition included Alexander Graham Bells telephone, the typewriter, and the sewing machine. In the area of art, the arm and torch of the Statue of Liberty were the central attraction presented by France.Colossal Hand and Torch. Bartholdis Statue of Liberty, the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints, and Photographs, Photography Collection, 1876. Source: The New York Public LibraryIn order to raise funds for the completion of the statues base, visitors could purchase tickets to ascend the arm and stand on the deck of the torch. Among cultural and novelty items introduced to the world were popcorn and root beer. The Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition was open from May to November and saw over nine million visitors. The first Worlds Fair in the United States left a lasting impression not only on America but on the world.Global Impact of the First US Worlds FairColumbia Trading with all the World, 1800, London. Source: Library of CongressIn the 1870s the world was on the brink of immense change and every nation could feel the effects of such possibility. America was a nation driven by progress and was rapidly changing in many ways. On the heels of the Civil War, in 1868 and 1870 respectively the 14th and 15th Amendments to the US Constitution were passed granting African Americans citizenship and the right to vote. The Gilded Age was in full swing as oil and railroad tycoons stepped onto the scene of American aristocracy.In Europe, political power shifted as the Franco-Prussian War resulted in the unification of the German Empire. This event spurred growing feelings of nationalism as each European country sought to deepen its cultural identity. A new age of industrialization and imperialism swept across the globe as European nations raced to colonize Africa and Asia. A Worlds Fair seemed to be just what the world needed as they came together to showcase their most impressive innovations which helped cultivate inspiring and positive relationships between countries in such turbulent times.The decision to host the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, the very city in which the Declaration of Independence was signed, served as a reminder to the world that although America was a young nation, its roots of patriotism ran deep. Prior to the Philadelphia Worlds Fair, many world leaders believed that America was a country of unrefined farmers. The impressive technological and industrial advancements displayed by the Americans at the Centennial Exhibition changed that perspective of the world.A design to represent the beginning and completion of an American Settlement or Farm, 1768, London. Source: Library of CongressWhile European countries had been so focused on outperforming each other, they had discredited young America as a non-competitor. After the Worlds Fair, however, a new respect for the ingenuity of the United States spread across the globe. The emergence of America as a major contributor of culture and production tipped the balance of foreign trade, moving the US from being reliant on imported goods to being a major world exporter.US Worlds Fair Hosting HistoryChicago Worlds Fair: A Century of Progress, 1833-1933, 1933. Source: Library of CongressSince hosting its first Worlds Fair in Philadelphia, the United States has put on upwards of 30 such exhibitions as well as participating in many others across the globe. Beyond Philadelphia, Americas Worlds Fair host cities include Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Knoxville, Louisville, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Omaha, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Spokane, and St. Louis. The most recent Worlds Fair held in America was in 1984 in New Orleans. The New Orleans World Fair was named The World of Rivers: Fresh Water as a Source of Life. As the title implies, Americas last Worlds Fair focused on the importance of access to fresh water to sustain life throughout the world. While there were numerous technological advancements on display in New Orleans, the theme of the exhibition highlighted the humanitarian aspects of Worlds Fairs.Every US city that has hosted a Worlds Fair has kept their legacy as a host city alive by having anniversary expos and in some cases museum installations. While temporary buildings are deconstructed, the main exhibition buildings in many US cities still stand. The buildings have since been repurposed to benefit the communitys needs. Whatever their new purpose, most Worlds Fair exhibition buildings were architectural marvels, and their unique designs remind visitors of their groundbreaking introduction to the world at an international showcase. One of the most notable structures built for a Worlds Fair that still stands today is the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington.Seattle skyline dominated by the Space Needle, which appeared in the 1962 Seattle Worlds Fair, or Century 21 Exposition, Seattle, Washington, photograph by Carol Highsmith. Source: Library of CongressThe Space Needle was built for the Century 21 Exhibition as a reminder to the world of Americas central role in the ongoing global Space Race. Today, the Space Needle is a popular tourist attraction that still undergoes updates to maintain its reputation as a technological wonder. Hosting a Worlds Fair is a tradition that is regarded highly by host countries and each American city that was chosen as the location for an exhibition has had a lasting impression left upon it by the world.Worlds Fairs TodayView of the Unisphere with World Flags, Photograph, Ron White, 1965, New York. Source: Wikimedia CommonsAcross hundreds of years, Worlds Fairs have introduced many cultural practices and inventions that are still being utilized today. Some inventions unveiled for all nations at Worlds Fairs were purely a show of what a country had the technological capabilities to do, even if the invention was not practical for use at the time of its introduction.Some examples of this are hydrogen-powered cars in 2001 and an early version of video chatting in 1964. Some inventions first introduced as spectacles at a Worlds Fair are now seen and used in everyday life around the world such as zippers, dishwashers, fax machines, and x-ray machines. Still other inventions were brought to other countries as a form of pleasure like the ferris wheel and ice cream cones.The Transept, Dickinsons Comprehensive Pictures of the Great Exhibition of 1851, 1852. Source: Smithsonian LibrariesWorlds Fairs are still held across the globe today. There is no official timeline that determines when exhibitions are scheduled but the most common span between events is five years. Modern Worlds Fairs have evolved from the showcase of a nations advancements and power to humanitarian events where countries come together to offer and apply innovative solutions to global problems.This is reflected in the theme of the most recent Worlds Fair held in Dubai: Connecting Minds, Creating the Future which focused on the event as an opportunity to create meaningful connections between cultures with immense differences. The venue was divided into three areas that housed pavilions that addressed the topics of opportunity, mobility, and sustainability.From the Great Exhibition of 1851 to today, Worlds Fairs have been a unique and celebratory way to bring foreign nations together on a large scale to inspire each other to move into the future with hope.
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