Part V: In Conclusion…

By examining the evidence in the world’s fairs held in Omaha, Buffalo, and St. Louis, the fair planners’ true intention is revealed: to craft an image of a typical Filipino, painted as primitive, in order to justify American occupation of the Philippines. The Filipino villages were living, breathing forms of propaganda, carefully crafted to shape public opinion.  As the Insular Government of the Philippines was battling an insurgency, imperialists needed an outlet to convince a divided American public of the Philippines’ appeal. What better medium than the world’s fair? Over the previous decades, the popularity of expositions had skyrocketed. The world exhibitions gave fair organizers, imperialists, and the American government a unique opportunity to guide Americans towards a preconceived conclusion: American occupation was founded on positive, moral grounds, and was beneficial for both parties. America could profit economically, through the consumption of the island’s raw materials. On the other hand, Filipinos could benefit through progress, as American forces launched a campaign to civilize the natives. World’s fairs were ideal for disseminating propaganda. In a period, lasting only several months, millions upon millions of patrons visit the fair grounds. Each fairgoer left with an interpretation of the Filipino people, a narrow view crafted by the fair’s planners, which would in turn spread as they returned home from the fair. World’s fairs were among the largest platforms for the circulation of ideas, outside of the nation’s prominent newspapers. From 1898 to 1917, world expositions held within the United States served a specific purpose; to validate the American colonial agenda as a positive force. By painting the Filipinos as a backwards, savage people, in need of guidance, American occupation of the Philippines was demonstrated as a beneficial, optimistic experience for both parties.