Civic Pride Pales in Comparison

The answer to question 1 is simple, although it may seem complicated at first. The subject of civic pride is pervasive throughout the book, as is shown in the portrayal of the diverse citizens in Chicago syndicating to celebrate their city's new prominence--Chicago surpassed Philadelphia as the second most populous city in the United States--and their winning of the fair. However, civic pride is provincial and must be cast aside to accomplish national recognition on the world stage. The competition may have at first been among cities in the United States, but those competitors had to band together to focus on their common goal, overtaking the French. National pride was the larger issue, so that is why Burnham sought out America's best. And New York was therefore compelled to aid Chicago in announcing America's emergence-- rather than simply saying "I told you Chicago wasn't ready"--on the world stage.