America at the World Fairs, 1851-1893

Abstract

THE story of American participation in the international exhibitions of agriculture and has never been told.' It is story rich in human interest. The increasing American participation in world fairs reflected the expansion of American patriotism and enterprise in the last half of the nineteenth century. At these tournaments of industry our exhibits provided measuring rod for the relative status of American and European technology. They also provided mirror for the changing attitudes of the rest of the world toward American civilization. American participation in the foreign exhibits was not taken for granted until the last two decades of the nineteenth century. In the beginning participation was timid and private. The question of public support for exhibitors was threshed out in the press and in Congress, opposition being broken down only by barrage of arguments and pressures, and, as time went on, by the experiences of actual participation. Among the motives and arguments for American participation in overseas exhibitions was the desire to publicize the nation's resources, industries, and social and economic institutions. Sensitive to European prejudices and attitudes of superiority, Americans, at first haltingly, took with increasing seriousness the opportunity to proclaim at the world fairs the national achievements and potentialities. This note was struck during the discussions of the advisability of being represented at the great exhibition of I85I in Londonthe parent of all succeeding international exhibitions. In answer to the widely held view in America that the great show at the Crystal Palace was mere mammoth speculation promoted by John Bull for his own ends, it was maintained that the exhibition of specimens of American at London would give Europe a juster appreciation and more perfect knowledge of what this Republic is, than could be attained in any other way. Recalling the impression made on the world by the recent victory over Mexico, writer