Ch 7: The Expositions in Portland and Seattle: "To Celebrate the Past and the Exploit the Future"

Summary:
The Lewis and Clark Centennial and American Pacific Exposition and Oriental Fair of 1905 and Seattle's Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition directly followed the success of Louisiana Purchase Exposition which served to appreciate the work of Lewis and Clark's western expansion. The Lewis and Clark and A-Y-P exposition both derived over economic hardship such as depression of 1890s and Panic of 1907. Building Lewis and Clark expositions, there was conflict between labor union who wanted closed shop and all works to be given to union men and state legislation that implemented open shop policy. And also the farmers demanded for referendum amendment to the state constitution upsetting by the failure of the state legislature to pass legislation taxing the state corporations. With those conflicts, lots of workers moved to Portland looking for jobs. But as they realized there was not enough work, they created strike and forced directors to make some concessions to the worker's demands for eight-hour working day. As a result Seattle made national Labor Day holiday to attract labors to the fair. Along with other world's fair both exposition created reservations for Filipinos and also they created Alaskan Building to show that Alaska is no longer place for Eskimos and to show how much it contributes to the economic growth of America's commercial empire. While exhibiting America's Pacific colonies at both fairs, they also illuminated market possibilities of Asian countries, especially Japan and China. The Portland exposition built its economic wealth and the fair site became hub of industrial activity. On the other hand, Seattle's fair buildings became part of the University of Washington campus.

Key terms:

• referendum:a law passed by the legislature can be reference to the people for approval/veto
• Lewis and Clark: Journeyed to the western land, ordered by president Jefferson. The information that Lewis and Clark gathered was of great help in the settlement of the West.
• embezzlement:theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one's trust or belonging to one's employer.
• Root-Takihara Agreement of 1908- Japanese government had agreed to curtail the emigration of Japanese workers and maintain the open policy in China.

Images:


Citations:
Rydell, Robert W. "The Expositions in Portland and Seattle: "To Celebrate the Past and to Exploit the Future"" In All the World's a Fair: Visions of Empire at American International Expositions, 1876-1916, P.184-207. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1984.

Reed, Henry E. "Lewis and Clark Exposition, 1905." Lewis and Clark Exposition, 1905. Accessed March 13, 2015. http://www.usgennet.org/alhnorus/ahorclak/exposition.html.

Abbott, Carl. "Lewis and Clark Exposition." Oregon Encyclopedia. January 1, 2004. Accessed March 13, 2015. http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/lewis_clark_exposition/#.VQKRmnysVyI.

"The 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition." - CityArchives. Accessed March 13, 2015. http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives/exhibits-and-education/digital-document-libraries/the-1909-alaska-yukon-pacific-exposition.

Questions:
How does Portland's exposition different from the Seattle's when comparing their designs and major purpose?