Unit Summary 9

I have chosen a flyer from the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, dubbed the "Century 21 Exposition." It is commonplace to reference a World's Fair in terms of the events that surround it, and this one in particular is no exception. Nearly a year prior, May 1961 to be exact, the first American astronaut was sent into space aboard Freedom 7. In addition to the events a couple months prior with Russia sending the first human into space, and finally the very first moon landing in 1969, the 60's were truly a time of expansion beyond what humans ever thought possible, into the atmosphere. In breaking the surly bonds of Earth, it gave the people of Earth, in particular this case the people of America, great pride in themselves and we recognized our potential as a race. Going to space was the first step, in my opinion, of a massive worldwide race to prove dominance. Who can reach space first? Who can reach the moon first? All of this translates down to the ground level. Who has the best and biggest infrastructure? Who is producing ground-breaking innovations? These are all themes that set a blaze to our confidence in ourselves as humans. We were no longer animals restricted to this rock like a lion or a dog, we were space travelers. Likewise, I attribute much of the industrial revolution in America to the transcontinental railroad. We were constantly finding bigger and better ways to do things, so we obviously want to show it off. 

This image of the 1962 World's Fair illustrates my point beautifully. In particular, notice the size and scale compared to the people in the foreground compared to the Space Needle. Possibly the first time in modern history, we realized just how tiny of a spec we were in the grand scheme of space, which intrigues is and relates to the infrastructure. Not only the massive and impressively futuristic design of the Needle, but something as simple as the spotlights facing straight upward to illuminate the sky. One of the tallest buildings in the world and most certainly tallest that side of the Mississippi at that time, it reminded the people that we are dedicated to reaching out to space. We have planted our stake on a universal scale. 

Everything about this image screams development of the future. From the bullet subway system high above the streets, to the Space Needle nestled much higher than it, this image is truly a testament of how far we have come in the last 60 years. It proves that we were no longer interested in the revival of our ancestor's way of life, we saw a future that was so bright and powerful that we left it in a dust trail. This image is not only a representation of the 1962 World's Fair, but a representation of the evolution of a race possibly becoming more than what we were supposed to be. Tomorrow truly had arrived.