Question

Which of the following was the MOST significant outcome of Atlanta’s International Cotton Exposition in 1881?
Responses
A It produced the Atlanta Compromise which temporarily settled racial tensionsIt produced the Atlanta Compromise which temporarily settled racial tensions
B It marked the beginning of the Reconstruction Era in the SouthIt marked the beginning of the Reconstruction Era in the South

C It demonstrated the city’s economic growth since the Civil War and promoted investmentIt demonstrated the city’s economic growth since the Civil War and promoted investment
D It increased the sectional tension between the North and South

Answer 1

C

The 1881 International Cotton Exposition showcased Atlanta’s post‑Civil War recovery and industrial growth to Northern and international investors, helping attract capital and promote economic development. (The Atlanta Compromise speech was later, in 1895; Reconstruction began after the Civil War in the 1860s–70s, and the fair aimed to encourage investment, not to increase sectional tension.)