Thursday, November 10, 2011

The Foundation of the Gilded Age and Success of the World's Fair: Innovation

Many elements characterized with the Gilded Age can also be characterized with Chicago’s World Fair. One of the main reasons they have so much in common with each other is because Chicago’s World Fair represents looking forward to the future and the ideas and innovations put forward during the Gilded Age are what appears to be the future. The World’s Fair and the Gilded age are similar due to the fact that they both emphasize the importance of technological innovations. Gilded Age being distinct from the Reconstructionist Era is partly due to the innovations made during the time period. The innovations made during the Gilded Age control much of what people associate with the Gilded Age. The innovations made during the Gilded Age are also commonly the reason behind many memorable things events that occurred during the Gilded Age.

The innovations made during the Gilded Age caused the urbanization of society. Many people moved toward the urban centers because of the innovations made during the Gilded Age. The innovations created more job opportunity at urban centers. The job opportunities offered at urban centers attracted many people to leave rural life behind and was welcoming to immigrants. The innovations made during the Gilded Age marked a time of prosperity and success for American culture. The innovations made in America helped to push America forward as a world power.

The innovations made during the Gilded Age became a main focus and center of the World’s Fair in Chicago. The reason the innovations become the center of attraction was because of the positive way they depict American culture. The innovations represent America as a world power. Since the World Fair was in Chicago, the authority figures would obviously want to make American innovations the center stage of the fair. It is of value for America to emphasize American innovations in a place like the World’s fair because people from all around the world go to the World’s Fair, not just people from America. America is gaining mass exposure and respect by displaying their innovations at the World’s Fair. New innovations were also seen for the first time by large masses of Americans at the World’s Fair. When people visited the World’s Fair they would see innovations, like electricity used in large amounts and the Georges Ferris’ Ferris Wheel. Men like Burnham clearly saw the importance of displaying the innovations made during the Gilded Age at the World’s Fair.

American culture truly prospered as a result of the innovations of the Gilded Age and the exposure they received at the World’s Fair. The World’s Fair acted as a stage for the innovations made during the Gilded Age. However, the success of some innovations made during the Gilded Age was dependent on their exposure to large amounts of people at the World’s Fair. Interestingly the success of the World’s Fair is also dependent on the presence of the innovations at the Fair. The appeal of going to the World’s Fair is partly because people would have the ability to see the newest thing and have a closer look at what the future could possibly hold. The World’s Fair and the innovations made during the Gilded Age have a relationship where they are dependent on each other.

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