APUSH - Summer Assignment - Devil in the White City

What were some of the technological wonders of the World's Fair?

Electric lights, the Ferris Wheel, electric boats, new electrical technology, telegraph communication, water purification, and modern construction techniques.

What was significant about electricity at the fair?

Electric lighting was one of the fair's major technological attractions and helped make the White City visually spectacular.

What was the Ferris Wheel?

A massive new attraction designed by George Washington Gale Ferris to rival the Eiffel Tower.

What were electric boats?

Boats powered by electricity that operated through the fair's lagoons and canals.

What new electrical technologies were featured?

Edison's Kinetoscope, Tesla-related electrical technology, an all-electric kitchen, and an automatic dishwasher.

How was communication technology represented at the fair?

Through technologies such as the telegraph, including a famous gold telegraph key.

How did the fair demonstrate advances in public health?

A water sterilization/purification plant was built on the fairgrounds.

What was the "grillage principle"?

A modern construction technique associated with John Root that workers used in constructing the buildings.

What were the two major groups fighting for control of the fair?

The National Commission and the Exposition Company.

Who led the National Commission?

General George Davis.

What did the National Commission want?

Financial control over the fair.

Who led the Exposition Company?

Chicago businessman Lyman Gage.

What did the Exposition Company do?

It refused to give up its control.

How did political interference affect Burnham?

It frustrated him because politicians and committees repeatedly interfered with the actual work of designing and building the fair.

What was the architectural conflict at the fair?

There was tension between Chicago/Western architects and Eastern/New York architects.

Why did Root's death matter?

John Root was Burnham's partner and supervising architect. After Root died, Burnham had to take on more responsibility, and people questioned whether the fair could succeed without him.

What did labor unions want?

An eight-hour workday and a minimum wage. They threatened strikes.

What was the electricity conflict?

Edison favored incandescent lighting, while General Electric and Westinghouse competed for the contract. Westinghouse ultimately won.

Who was Carter Henry Harrison?

A Chicago mayor with strong connections to organized labor who later returned as mayor.

Who was Patrick Prendergast?

A man who became obsessed with Carter Henry Harrison's political career and eventually assassinated him.

How did the fair create jobs?

Thousands of jobs were created through the construction of the fair.

How did tourism benefit Chicago?

Huge numbers of visitors came to Chicago, benefiting local businesses.

How successful was attendance?

The fair eventually attracted enormous crowds and surpassed the attendance record of the Paris fair.

How did the fair affect Chicago's reputation?

It helped Chicago become viewed as a modern and powerful city.

Who became rich from the fair?

Some individuals and businesses profited significantly; Buffalo Bill is one example.

What major economic crisis happened around the fair's opening?

A Wall Street panic caused stock prices to fall and banks to fail.

Why was low attendance a problem?

The fair needed around 33,000 visitors on specialized days, but attendance still wasn't enough to make it profitable.

How did the economic crisis affect Burnham's firm?

Banks struggled and Burnham's firm received fewer commissions.

Why did the fair have to cut costs?

The fair was extremely expensive, while the country was experiencing serious financial problems.

What happened economically after the fair closed?

Workers lost their jobs, unemployment increased, and economic problems continued, including the Pullman Strike.

Why is the fair called the "White City"?

Because of its grand, largely white architectural appearance, which contrasted with Chicago's darker, dirtier "Black City."

What does the "White City vs. Black City" contrast represent?

The contrast between the fair's idealized beauty, order, and technological progress and the reality of Chicago's poverty, crime, disease, political corruption, and economic problems.

What was the overall purpose of the World's Columbian Exposition?

To commemorate Columbus's discovery of America while showcasing American technological, architectural, industrial, and cultural achievements.

Why was Chicago so determined to make the fair successful?

Chicago wanted to prove itself as a major modern city and counter the perception that it was inferior to cities such as New York and Paris.

Why was the fair difficult to build?

Political conflicts, labor unrest, financial problems, difficult soil, construction delays, weather, disagreements among architects, and the enormous scale of the project all created problems.

What is the major irony of the book?

The fair represented technological progress, beauty, order, and civilization, while horrific violence and murder occurred alongside it—especially through H. H. Holmes.

What was H. H. Holmes's real name?

Herman Webster Mudgett.

What profession did Holmes have?

He was a doctor/pharmacist and presented himself as respectable and charming.

How did Holmes take advantage of people?

He manipulated vulnerable people, used deception, committed fraud, obtained life insurance policies, and exploited people's trust.

Why was Chicago a useful place for Holmes?

It was a rapidly growing city where people frequently disappeared and missing-person cases—especially involving marginalized people—could be overlooked.

How did Holmes use his building?

He used hidden rooms, vaults, gas, and other features to facilitate his crimes and murders.

What was Holmes's relationship with Minnie Williams?

He manipulated and married her while exploiting her wealth and property.

What happened to Holmes's victims?

Many disappeared, and later investigations uncovered bodies and remains connected to Holmes.

Who ultimately investigated Holmes's crimes extensively?

Detective Frank Geyer, particularly in the search for the Pitzel children.

Daniel Burnham

Chief architect/director of works; drove the fair forward

John Root

Burnham's partner; supervising architect; died during planning

Frederick Law Olmsted

Landscape architect; Jackson Park, lagoons, nature

Lyman Gage

President of the Exposition Company

George Davis

Head of National Commission

Louis Sullivan

Architect; disliked the neoclassical style

George Ferris

Designed the Ferris Wheel

Thomas Edison

Electrical technology/incandescent lighting

George Westinghouse

Competed for and won electrical contract

Carter Henry Harrison

Chicago mayor; connected to labor

Patrick Prendergast

Assassinated Harrison

H. H. Holmes

Serial killer/con man operating alongside the fair

Benjamin Pitzel

Holmes's associate/victim

Frank Geyer

Detective who pursued the Pitzel children case

Buffalo Bill

Popular Wild West show; profited from the fair

Sol Bloom

Controlled Midway Plaisance

Sophia Hayden

Architect of the Woman's Building

Bertha Palmer

Board of Lady Managers; clashed with Hayden