Reading Response 11

World Fairs

After learning some about the World Fairs in class I decided that it was a topic that I am interested in and I wanted to learn more about by reading about it in the book.  What I found to be the most interesting was that the world fairs are still held today in 2011.  This is surprising to me because I had always thought they were just something from a long time ago.

Some Interesting Facts I Discovered:

-- first one held in France in 1801

-- followed the French Revolution

-- searched for buyers of products 

-- during an economic depression

-- Henry Cole's organized one that was held in 1851

-- it took place in a Crystal Palace

-- Sir Joseph Paxton designed and engineered it

-- Crystal Palace was made of thin, lightweight elements

-- all assemblage was on site

-- it held its structure by tension wires

-- compression and tension forces were made visible like no other building had done before

-- had a long nave filled with exhibits, trees, and gardens

-- mass produced products and machines were on display

-- hand crafted products and raw materials represented the colonies and distant lands

-- the colonial products showed what was lost to England

-- represented modern culture

-- six million visitors at fair

-- was open for six months

-- this set the stage for much more to come

-- shows relationship between capital, nationalism, imperialism, and entertainment

-- purpose was commemorative, commercial, collaborative, and celebratory

-- it united all nations

-- there were 64 in the US

-- 191 in other countries

-- 262 all together

*The above images show the Crystal Palace and one of the event advertisements for the World Fairs*