Virginia SOL USII.3.h
The Standard
describing the technological advances and the broader impact of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair on America’s rise as a world leader in innovation, business, and trade
Virginia Standards of Learning for History and Social Science
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students identify major technologies shown at the Chicago World's Fair, such as electric lighting and the Ferris wheel. They explain how the fair strengthened America's reputation for invention, business, and international trade.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students connect a specific exhibit or technology to its effect on visitors, companies, or trade. They explain that the fair displayed and popularized innovations, even when they were invented elsewhere.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think the fair was only an amusement park or that every displayed technology was invented there. They may also assume America became a world leader immediately because of this single event.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Choose electric lighting or the Ferris wheel. Explain how it showed innovation and how it could help American business or trade.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Use battery tea lights to create a paper fairground, then label how electric lighting affected visitors and nearby businesses.
Write a newspaper report explaining which fair exhibit would most impress an 1893 visitor and why.
Sort exhibit cards into innovation, business, trade, and entertainment groups, then defend one card that fits two groups.
Compare the fair with a modern technology expo, noting how each helps companies attract customers and international attention.
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