Example for Grade 6: Explanatory – World's Fair - ID: 907

for this response.

World's Fair

  • Purpose: Explanatory
  • Grade: 6
  • ID No. 907

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The Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 was a great marvel. Over 27 million people came to see its 65,000 exhibits, and the spectacle lasted for over six months. Three reasons it was such a success are the electricity, the comeback, the the two inventors who fought a battle to make it work. Read on to discover how these things came to be!

At the time of the World’s Fair, electricity was something that almost no one had. In fact, it was almost unheard of! Only a a small part of New York City was lit up by light bulbs, and the most cities used gas lamps, or none at all! No one had anything like an automatic dishwasher, or even a simple rocking baby cradle. Telephones and telegraphs were like magic, but electricity changed almost everything. It made everyday life cleaner, safer, lighter, and easier! Only the rich could afford such a thing, and not too many were wealthy enough to even consider it. That is one reason why the park that hosted the Fair received so many visitors- everything was lit up! From the Electricity building to the dining hall, light bulbs appeared in a beautiful blaze. Inventions such as the washing machine, oven, telephone, and dishwasher all ran on this magical discovery. Unfortunately, this marvel wouldn’t have been made possible if it wasn’t for the strength and spirit that roused the civilians into fighting form to prove their city after the terrible disaster that had befallen their home only a little while before.

If one has heard of the Chicago Fire, then one should know about the horrific damage it caused. It happened in 1871, a mere 32 years for a ruined city to get back into shape. The cost of the misfortune was almost $200,000,000, and about 17,450 buildings were destroyed, catapulting over 100,000 people into the streets, homeless. The planners of the city spent many, many years building it back up, and the World Fair gave them a chance to show off their reborn city. Many say that the tragedy made the Faireven grander! Of course, it wouldn’t be as spectacular if it wasn’t for those two naughty inventors butting heads to light up the great event.

Thomas Edison and Nicola Tesla had both harnessed the power of electricity to bring themselves up to greatness. Their two companies, General Electric’s and Westinghouse Electric Company, were at war with another to win the prized contract of lighting up the World’s Fair of 1893. Because Tesla had more experience with lighting up larger areas, he won the prized papers. It was a great success! His work made the Electric Building, (as well as the whole park,) bright as day! Because he was trying to prove he was better than Edison, he practically overdid himself, and made the Fair a spectacle to remember.

The Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 was a huge success. Today, people still talk about the electricity, comeback, and battle of power that make it viewed as a channel into modern power, including “basics,” such as lighting up one’s house. If it hadn’t happened, than some people still might not know about the magic of electricity, and how it makes life cleaner, safer, and overall, easier.