Near the end of this section of the reading, Erik Larson writes of the “turmoil and grief engulf[ing] Chicago.” “The old world,” he notes, “was passing” (121-22). Based on what you’ve read so far, what do you think was the most significant issue or tension in the United States in the 1880s and 1890s, and why? Cite evidence from the book to support your choice

– the expansion of availability to other counties and cultures

“New York was the nation’s capital of cultural and social refinement, and it’s leading citizens and newspapers never let Chicago forget it” (16). not only that but the landscape was drastically changing due to  growth in the cities because of immigration

why did

• i think he chose the two stories to show a more rounded view of the country during this period. becoming macro and micro (big and smaller perspectives) though all in all provide a compelling lens for the past. True , the epitaph of North Americas first serial killer of the time is interesting enough but that would not have garnered enough reason to read this for a historical engineering class. not only does the inclusion of the two stories make this a relevant but also fascinating,

The time period of this book is based on a period when Chicago was extremely populated. Not to say that they are not today, but we also have technology and a more organized police force. But to say the least, people were flooding the streets especially during the time of the fair. And these people were coming from all over the world. The fair was an exciting time where new ideas and inventions were being brought to light. This could be considered one of the greatest things to happen to Chicago, since they won a contest over multiple large cities to host this fair. But this city was not large enough to hold this huge population. Which in turn shows how the infamous serial killer, Holmes, and the fair become so related.

The book correlates the combination of the fair and the serial killer and how dependent Holmes “big idea” is. This big idea that Holmes had included turning his building into a hotel for the fair visitors. The idea made sense from an economic standpoint, and no one ever raised a question. Once the fair began the streets of Chicago were so full that no one even realized anyone missing.

With so many people crowding into Holmes’s hunting grounds and needing a place to stay due to the overpopulated area lead to an even bigger issue than anyone could have ever imagined. And this is why Larson combined the two aspects together.