Carl Smith - Faith and Doubt

The city’s importance increased after the fire

“the destruction indicated not the degree of Chicago’s venality or misfortune, but the
grandeur of its destiny.”

“Therefore, members of the city and nation must protect the valuable future of Chicago
because only Chicagoans could withstand such a divine beating. I viewed these
religious justifications as comparable with the struggles of Job in the Bible. Smith cites
individuals that believed the deaths as a result of the fire were deserved due to a lack of
“character and resolve.”

Bad side: stealing, looting, alcoholism

Chicago became influential in the nation’s healing process after the war.

“The rest of the country forgot its petty artificial division and rediscovered its finest
collective self”

2 types of responses to the Chicago fire:

1. Chicago God-given destiny as the Queen of the West - ignores class
distinctions.
2. the dangers of the lower class - lower class is evil

“Greater than the catastrophes that consumed Rome, London, and other world capitals,
the fire proved that Chicago and America had already surpassed or would soon
supersede these other cities in all respects”

“Others among the poor died because they evidently lacked the character and resolve
to save themselves, which was also why they were poor in the first place”