In 1898 the Treaty of Paris was signed, marking an official end to the Spanish-American War. While the war lasted just over three months it would leave a lasting impact on the United States. The victory solidified America’s position as a world power. It also marked the dawn of an American Empire and the fall of Spain as an imperial power. Provisions in the Treaty of Paris forced Spain to relinquish its control over Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Guam and Cuba. All but Cuba, which remained an American protectorate, were now under the colonial authority of the United States. These newfound notions of American imperialism were clearly presented in the World’s fairs that were held within the United States at the turn of the twentieth century. Exhibits at the fair promoted an American Empire. Exhibits that were carefully planned and designed to showcase the indigenous people of America’s Colonies and their complex culture, also served a more sinister purpose. The exhibits were used to mold public opinion. One which promoted the ideas of American imperialism and American superiority through the exploitation of people native to American colonies.
At the turn of the 20th century America was emerging as an empire. A recent, quick victory in the Spanish American war catapulted the United States into an age of colonialism. The nation’s imperialistic goals were clearly reflected in exhibition. World’s fairs served a wide variety of purposes. In the 19th Century, expositions highlighted progress, most notably in terms of technological advancement. Expositions acted as a global stage to display a nation’s wealth, culture, technology, and might. World’s fairs also served a hegemonic purpose. The attitudes and beliefs of the nation’s political and intellectual leaders, as well as the interests of the fair planners and local elite were passed onto the public through carefully-planned exhibition. The fairs acted as a medium, to perpetuate the ideas of imperialists and political leaders, into the collective morality of the American public. World exhibitions held within the States after the Spanish American War faced a difficult task: to sell the American public on the benefits of colonialism. When running against McKinley, William Jennings Bryan ran on an anti-imperialist platform. Not only did imperialists have to convince the American public of the economic incentives that lay ahead, they had to prove that American intervention would benefit they colonial region as well. Colonial exhibits in the world’s fairs illustrated the promise of economic expansion that could come from a positive relationship. The Philippines were viewed as a new battling ground for capitalists. H. Hancock described the economic environment as “There are well-nigh countless millions of dollars that may be easily allured into American pockets in the Philippines. In the commercial sense of the phrase these millions are to be had for the asking. All that is necessary is for our merchants to study the tastes and needs of the natives of these far-Eastern colonies and to reap the financial results of this investigation.”[1] Displays contained wide varieties of natural resources and exports belonging to the foreign territory. These were presented, often next to, American manufactured goods made from said materials. Arranged this way to show fairgoers the economic prospect of imperialism and American mastery of all things foreign.
[1] H. Irving Hancock. “The Philippines a Commercial El Dorado,” Leslie’s Weekly, March 9, 1901
The Phillipine Village: Imperialism Exhibited 