The Devil in the White City

by Erik Larson

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Student Question

What lasting inventions and ideas did the 1893 World's Fair introduce into American culture?

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

Quick answer:

The 1893 World's Fair introduced several lasting inventions and ideas into American culture, including Cracker Jacks, chocolate bars, pay toilets, zippers, beef bouillon, and the Ferris wheel. Notably, it showcased the transformative power of electricity. The fair also inspired the concept of amusement parks, with Walt Disney's father working there. It celebrated American architecture, engineering, and the ethos of hard work, successfully surpassing the previous World's Fair in Paris despite challenging conditions.

Expert Answers

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Inventions are easily found in the text as well as the Internet, and they include Cracker Jacks,chocolate bars, pay toilets, zippers, beef bouillon, and of course the Ferris wheel. Probably the most long-lastinginnovation waselectricity.Outside of that, the idea for amusement parks was undoubtedly born here (Walt Disney's dad worked at the fair). This Fair was a tribute to American architecture and engineering, as well as the ethic of hard work and perseverance--they did build this in Chicago...on the edge of a lake...in part during winter.  No one thought they could top the previous World's Fair in Paris, but they did.

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