China at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair: The Emergence of US-China Relations

3 units

The St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 dazzled visitors and those who followed it in newspapers. By bringingthe world to the American heartland, it greatly furthered a political and cultural agenda of promotingAmerica’s progress and superiority to audiences both at home and around the world. The course situates the fair in the context of the emerging US-China relations. The China exhibit bring to light a curated view of China designed specifically to appeal to an American audience who viewed the country as an “old regime,” an exotic culture, an emerging capitalist market, and a battlefield for colonial powers. Byexamining the experience of American federal and state officials, Chinese royals and diplomats, andChinese exhibitors and laborers who took part in the fair, the course sheds light on the cultural diplomacy utilized by America and China, as both were navigating through the forces of capitalism, racism,imperialism, and nationalism in the rapidly globalizing world by the turn of the 20th century. Fulfills modern elective for EALC major.