How America Celebrated Its 100th Birthday
The Centennial Exhibition of 1876 marked America's 100th birthday, showcasing the nation's industrial progress. While the event celebrated material achievements, it also highlighted the social issues and corruption present outside its gates. Historian Fergus M. Bordewich's book reflects on this duality, illustrating a country caught between its revolutionary ideals and the realities of industrialization.
- ▪The Centennial Exhibition opened on May 10, 1876, featuring a mix of national celebration and World's Fair elements.
- ▪William Dean Howells described the contrast between a quaint spinning wheel and the impressive Corliss Engine at the exhibition.
- ▪Bordewich's book examines America's progress alongside the social inequalities and corruption that persisted during this time.
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| Original publisher | The Atlantic |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/06/america-centennial-exhibition-1876/686928/?utm_source=feed |
| Publication time | 2026-05-18T08:00:00-04:00 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-18T12:04:56.488Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-18T12:35:16.519Z |
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BooksHow America Celebrated Its 100th BirthdayThe Centennial Exhibition of 1876 promised a glorious industrial future. Outside its gates, the country seethed with violence and corruption.By Jake LundbergDEA / Biblioteca Ambrosiana / GettyMay 18, 2026, 8 AM ET ShareSave Listen−1.0x+Seek0:0019:19William Dean Howells, the editor of The Atlantic, wandered through Philadelphia’s Centennial Exhibition of 1876 trying to make sense of a spectacle that defied description. Two wheels, one small, one large, seemed to tell the story of the great transformation on display. The small one was made of wood—an old spinning wheel set up in a rude log cabin meant to conjure colonial Plymouth.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Atlantic.
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