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1904 St. Louis Louisiana Purchase Analysis

238 Words1 Pages
Next, examining the 1904 St. Louis “Louisiana Purchase” exposition as an example of freak show behavior, this fair was one of the most expansive of the early twentieth-century and served as a cultural touchstone for the nation. Centered around themes of race, empire, consumerism, and leisure culture, the exhibition was held in honor of the centennial anniversary of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. In a similar manner to previous world’s fairs and that of the 1893 exhibition, the display of colonized peoples in amusement zones had become ritually stereotyped; emphasizing the “civilized” versus the “primitive” body. The amusement area had over fifty types of sideshow entertainment in an area known as the “Pike”. The pike served as the fair’s version
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