A Letter from the White City

Use a letter, a historian's note, and a visitor map to learn about a fair from the past.

Read the sources

Read the letter and the historian's note. Then answer the questions.

Source A: Marta's Letter, July 8, 1893

Dear Tomas,
Today Aunt Rosa and I entered the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. It is a huge fair in Jackson Park. People have come from many places to see the buildings and exhibits.

We began at the Transportation Building, where we saw machines and models connected with travel. Then we walked south to the Agricultural Building. There were displays about farm tools, foods, and crops. I had never seen so many things gathered in one place.

Near the center of the fair, we visited the Court of Honor. Its bright buildings and large pool made the place seem grand. After supper, we went west to the Midway Plaisance and rode the great wheel. The great wheel was my favorite part!

From high above the fair, I could see Lake Michigan to the east. When evening came, electric lights shone on the buildings. I wish you could have been here to see it all.
Your cousin,
Marta

Source B: A Historian's Note

The World's Columbian Exposition opened in Chicago on May 1, 1893, and closed on October 30 of that year. Organizers held it to mark four hundred years since Christopher Columbus's 1492 voyage. The fair included exhibits from many states and countries.

The main buildings were painted white, so many people called the fair the White City, but most of them were temporary. Most were gone within a few years after the exposition ended. The fair also included the Midway Plaisance, where visitors could see amusements and displays, including the Ferris wheel. The exposition showed visitors new machines, farm ideas, transportation, and other subjects.

Which source gives Marta's own words and feelings about visiting the fair?

A. The historian's noteB. The visitor mapC. Marta's letterD. A later list of fair dates

Which question can Marta's letter answer most directly?

A. When did the exposition open?B. Why did organizers name the exposition?C. What happened to most buildings later?D. Which part did Marta like best?

Match each source to the kind of information it can provide best.

The fair's great wheel stood on the .

Circle the TWO details from the letter that show Marta enjoyed her visit.

Sort each detail by the kind of source it comes from.

Use the visitor map

Read the map description. Use the locations and directions to answer the questions.

Source C: Visitor Map of the Fairgrounds

A visitor map of the fairgrounds shows Lake Michigan along the east edge. The Court of Honor is near the center. The Transportation Building is north of the Court of Honor, and the Agricultural Building is south of it. The Midway Plaisance stretches west from the west edge of the fairgrounds. The Ferris wheel stands on the Midway Plaisance.

According to the map, where is the Transportation Building compared with the Court of Honor?

A. WestB. EastC. SouthD. North

Match each place to its location on the visitor map.

Marta walked south from the Transportation Building toward the Agricultural Building. Which place was between them on the map?

A. Lake MichiganB. The Midway PlaisanceC. The Court of HonorD. The Ferris wheel

10.

Circle the TWO map details that help a visitor travel from the Court of Honor to the Ferris wheel.

11.

If a visitor stood at the Ferris wheel and wanted to reach Lake Michigan, which general direction would the visitor travel?

A. NorthB. SouthC. EastD. West

Compare the sources

Use details from more than one source to answer the final questions.

12.

Which question is best answered by Marta's letter instead of the historian's note?

A. What subjects did the fair's exhibits include?B. When did the exposition close?C. What happened to most buildings afterward?D. How did one visitor feel about the great wheel?

13.

Which conclusion is supported by both Marta's letter and the historian's note?

A. The fair was a permanent city in Chicago.B. The fair offered both displays to study and entertainment to enjoy.C. Visitors cared more about the great wheel than the exhibits.D. The fair's exhibits came from a single nearby state.

14.

Use one detail from Marta's letter and one detail from the historian's note to explain why both sources help us learn about the fair.

15.

A student says, “The fair was only a group of bright buildings.” Use evidence from at least two sources to explain why this idea is incomplete.