ВКЛАД ИМПЕРАТРИЦЫ МАРИИ ФЕДОРОВНЫ В ОРГАНИЗАЦИЮ РУССКОГО ПРЕДСТАВИТЕЛЬСТВА НА ВСЕМИРНОЙ КОЛУМБИЙСКОЙ ВЫСТАВКЕ В ЧИКАГО 1893Г.

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to consider the special participation of the women's labor departments and the departments of the Empress Maria’s institutions in the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 in the context of Russian–American relations. The ideological task of both expositions was to refute the Americans' ideas about the backwardness of Russia and the despotism of autocratic power. The authors note the negative impact on the image of Russia of the American movement «For a Free Russia» and the campaign of George Kennan, author of the «Siberian series» of articles about political exiles. The tasks were fulfilled by the substantive content of the expositions of the exhibition and the participation of delegates of the women's labor departments and the Empress Maria’s department in public and scientific events. As a result, the authors draw a conclusion that the wide participation and recognized success of the representation of women's labor departments and the Empress Maria's institutions at the World’s Exposition give grounds to consider them as an ideological response to American critics.