History of World Fairs

City Beautiful Movement

• The primary goal of the City Beautiful movement was to promote beauty, cleanliness, and order in urban design.

World's Columbian Exposition

• The World's Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893, was the venue and centerpiece that inspired the City Beautiful movement.

Urban Design Principles

• The City Beautiful movement promoted the principles of grandeur, axial layout, and monumental architecture in urban design.

Well-Designed Capital Cities

• Canberra, the capital of Australia, is widely recognized as one of the best-designed capital cities in the world, influenced by the City Beautiful movement.

Washington, D.C. Design

• The diagonal avenues in the design of Washington, D.C. were intended to provide a network of efficient transportation routes and facilitate movement throughout the city.
• The visionary architect responsible for the unique design of Washington, D.C. was Pierre Charles L'Enfant.

Bureau of International Expositions (BIE)

• The primary impetus for the formation of the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) in 1928 was to oversee and regulate international expositions.

World's Columbian Exposition Characteristics

• The World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893 showcased innovative and futuristic designs, highlighting the potential of urban planning to improve city living.

Late 19th Century U.S. Cities

• The primary reason for the population growth in U.S. cities in the late 19th century was industrialization and urbanization.
• Cities were perceived as centers of opportunity, innovation, and progress during the late 19th century.
• The City Beautiful movement emerged as a response to the rapid urbanization and industrialization of the late 19th century, which led to urban problems such as overcrowding, poverty, and poor sanitation.
• U.S. cities in the late 19th century did not face the problem of over-reliance on agriculture. Instead, they faced issues like overcrowding, poverty, and poor sanitation.

Test your knowledge on the history of World Fairs, from the Great Exhibition of 1851 in the UK to the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. Learn about the events that shaped the early international exhibitions.