1904 Olympics St. Louis and an introduction to sports and international politics
What you need to know? Why St. Louis? Lincoln’s lost debate Westward expansion: Louisiana Expo Spanish-American War
Thesis Sports represents the attitudes, beliefs and ideas of a given culture Therefore, the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympics represents....
I. St. Louis - historical location Selection of World’s Fair location role of Washington University 1800s Gateway to the West
Pictures
II. Westward expansion The games became a justification for Manifest Destiny (Lewis & Clark)
the fair: on the pike Indians “on display”: Chief Joseph, Red Cloud, Seven Rabbits Sept recreation of Custer’s last stand and Battle of Wounded Knee Wild West Show Lewis and Clark recreations
the sports and the West various Indian groups participated in “non-official” anthropological games (bare) foot races American football games Implied throughout 1) inferiority of Native Americans 2) gifts of Western civilization
III. Imperialism The games became a justification for keeping the Philippines
Spanish American War U.S. fought Spain in 1898 over Cuba U.S. took control of Spanish colony of Philippines as means of global expansion Debate in U.S.: do we want to be an empire? do we want colonies around the world?
No - no empire Hypocrisy of rights and freedoms Too expensive Too far away
Anti-imperialism league African Americans Aguinaldo Teddy Roosevelt Labor unions
Yes - keep Philippines villages showed primitive nature of “savages” Dogtown myth
modern sciences psychologists and anthropologists met to “test” theories on racial superiority supposed proof for “white man’s burden” fair and Olympics became propaganda for eugenics, social darwinism
Anthropological Days Events like: mud fighting, rock throwing, pole climbing, spear throwing Teams of Pygmies, Filipinos, Patagonians and various American Indian tribes
Countries “displayed” their colonial subjects
wydown Lindell SkInkerSkInker Bi g B e n d