This video explains many many questions I've had about the "World's Fair" as a kid. I agree - the USA was not and is not "new" ground where only Native Americans were warring with each other and hunting until it was discovered. Even the dispute of who "discovered" this land - Columbus, Leif Erikson and others - is stupid because these lands have been conquered and settled before by ancient people, which were wiped out again and again and again. There's so much more that was probably discovered only to be dismissed or destroyed thanks to government control. Imagine not just the treasures, but the culture and traditions we have lost, and how much we're losing today. This is why I'm somewhat against electronic anything - this enables a quick rewrite and destruction of whatever history or knowledge we have this far. Sure, print is also fragile, but we need the ability to have both to preserve what we know and have.