Analyzing Political Cartoon
Identify The Character(S) In The Cartoon.
In the cartoon, Uncle Sam is as a teacher, looking down on naughty students seated on a bench, the Philippines, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. In the background to the left of Uncle Sam, there is an African-American boy on a ladder cleaning a large window. To the center right, there is a Native American with a blanket covering his shoulders. Just behind the Native American, a Chinese immigrant is standing in the doorway of the classroom. Further to the right of the Chinese immigrant, there is a group, mostly white, well-groomed students, reading books. Mixed in among the white students are Alaskan Native, and Mexican American students also reading.
Identify The Symbols And Actions The Artist Employs In The Cartoon.
In the image, the artist uses Uncle Sam as the teacher or disciplinarian of the classroom to represent the United States. Uncle Sam is holding a stick or pointer to illustrate the extended reach of the United States (Barnes & Bowles, 2014). The recently acquired territories of Puerto Rico, Philippines, and Hawaii, and political intervention and social manipulation of the U.S. over Cuba are represented by racially exaggerated children being scolded by Uncle Sam in the front the classroom on a single long bench group together. Hawaii is illustrated with hands in pockets, and Cuba with crossed arms are depicted as being openly defiant to Uncle Sam. “The annexation of Hawaii in 1898 and the Philippines in 1899 placed the United States in a position to access trade with Asia, and especially China”.
An open seat at the end of the bench is used to represent a room for more new students. The African American boy is illustrated as being excluded from the class instruction fastidiously cleaning the windows in service to the rest of the class; he, however, appears to pay more attention to the teacher than his task. The Native American is segregated from the class as well and is in the corner reading. The book that the Native American is reading is upside down, and the lettering is backward symbolizing the U.S. lack of commitment to the indigenous people of the land. The Asian American stands at the entrance of the classroom peering into the classroom “Roosevelt went even further by linking American nationalism and imperialism to ideas of racial dominance and the definition of manhood. Asserting control over the Filipinos, Puerto Ricans, and other non-Whites, according to Roosevelt’s thinking, allowed American men to establish their superior manhood” (Bederman, 2008). All the while, the Caucasian children are groomed neatly and well behaved quietly reading.
Historical Context Of The Cartoon.
The image symbolizes the newly acquired attitude of American imperialism and Social Darwinism. Illustrating Uncle Sam as a teacher represents the United States and the Classroom as an American Global Superpower. The territories of Guam, Hawaii, Philippines, and Puerto Rico were all under the dominance of the American supremacy, clearly demonstrating America’s power and reach. “The annexation of Hawaii in 1898 and the Philippines in 1899 placed the United States in a position to access trade with Asia, and especially China. The war between Japan and China in 1895 demonstrated China’s weakness, and many Americans feared Japan would affect a takeover before the United States was able to secure a trade agreement.” (Barner & Bowles, 2014). By showing the fledgling American Empire as a Classroom, the cartoonist is presenting a message of both America’s overall strength and white supremacy with individual states as model students while the African-American and Native American students as a less desirable element in the classroom. The Asian American stands at the entrance of the classroom peering in, signifying the U.S. irresponsible attitude for immigrants to America.
The message of the cartoon is a compelling image. Showing the U.S. as a classroom in which the newly acquired territories would be taught how to accept the supremacy and dominance of the U.S. They would be required to relegate their cultural and social ideologies as secondary beliefs to agree with the new teachings of the United States.
References
Barnes, L. & Bowles, M. (2014).The American story: Perspectives and encounters from 1877. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Bederman, G. (2008). Manliness and civilization: A cultural history of gender and race in the United States, 1880–1917. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.cf g cxv