Imperialism (and Humans) on Display: The 1904 World’s Fair

By Matt Goerss

Summer Fellowship 2010

Abstract: In this unit, students will analyze primary sources related to the international and “living” exhibits at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Students will learn about the purpose and design of the exhibits, and they will analyze photographs of the artifacts and people that were on display. Students will also view the exhibits through the lens of American imperialism in the early-20^th century. As students read and analyze primary sources during this unit, they will complete diary entries from the perspective of a person who would have attended the Fair in 1904. They will also create their own exhibit by conducting research and locating primary sources in small groups.

Essential Questions:

• How did American imperialism impact exhibits at the 1904 World’s Fair, as well as the ways in which visitors viewed the exhibits?
• How should one define the concepts of “progress” and “civilized” when evaluating cultures and nations of people?

While each of the lessons in this unit has additional essential questions, all of the content and activities in this unit are focused on the essential questions above.

Assessment: Students will be assessed in a variety of ways during this unit. The final assessment is a project in which students will conduct research and create their own World’s Fair exhibit using primary sources. This project will include written, visual, and presentation components. Students will also be assessed on the diary entries that they write after viewing the international and living exhibits, and they will be assessed on their analysis of the primary sources in each of the exhibits.

Setting the Purpose: In the 21^st century, students can easily learn about cultures from around the world by researching on the internet or watching television. In the early-20^th century, however, as the United States began growing as an imperial power, information about other countries and cultures was much more difficult to obtain. As a result, international displays and “living exhibits” like those at the 1904 World’s Fair provided a way for Americans to experience other cultures, albeit through the lens of American superiority. To begin this unit, the teacher should encourage students to think about ways in which they can access information about the rest of the world, and students should also think about how accurate they consider this information to be. The teacher should also introduce students to the essential questions at the beginning of the unit and refer to them frequently throughout the unit.

Analysis of Local Primary Sources: In each of the four lessons in this unit, students will analyze primary source photographs from the 1904 World’s Fair. Students will also research and locate primary sources as they prepare their exhibits.

Lesson #1: “Meet Me in St. Louis, Meet Me at the Fair”

Lesson #2: Meet Me in St. Louis, Meet Me at the Place of Nations

Lesson #3: Meet Me in St. Louis, Meet Me at… the Human Zoo?

Lesson #4: Meet Me in St. Louis, Meet Me at Your Exhibit

Ties to National Primary Sources: The photographs in this unit are supplemented by readings from national publications about the 1904 World’s Fair. These publications, such as the World’s Fair Bulletin, were written at the time of the Fair. Students will also access primary sources as they prepare their exhibits.

Annotated List of Materials and Resources: See individual lesson plans